The Battle Coat
by Luna Peachie
Summary: Elder Maxson wants two things right now: to find Nora Howard and to get his coat back. His reasons probably have something to do with why she wandered into Sanctuary wearing only the aforementioned coat one morning. The now famous jacket is about to go on a crazy adventure all over the Commonwealth. The things that will be done in it, on it, and to it...you'll just have to read.
1. Half-Naked and Confused

_The Battle Coat_

Half-Naked and Confused

It was about 6am when the barefooted figure stepped across the bridge into the Sanctuary settlement. Too early for anyone to be up, meaning no one would see her tip-toeing down the cracked pavement toward her old house. She was light enough to where her footsteps didn't make loud stomping sounds. Of course, she wasn't wearing any shoes so that was of no consequence.

In fact, Nora Howard wasn't wearing much of anything at the moment. The only thing she wore, despite leaving a day or so before in an orange Brotherhood of Steel uniform, was a thick leather coat that was way too big for her tied at her waist and her Pip-Boy. She really didn't want to tell anyone why she was dressed this way or how much her bare feet ached. She just wanted to get to her house, get dressed, and get a little bit of sleep. In that precise order.

The sun was starting to rise so she didn't have much time to do those things before the other settlers woke up to start the day. Ever since she left Vault 111, Nora's life had been one crazy adventure after another, but this one was by far the most humiliating.

Not able to walk any further, Nora leaned against the frame of an under-construction building. Sturges was building some kind of ware house for the settlers of Sanctuary to store their salvage and dry goods on the foundation of an old house and it was part-way done. Nora had to rest, she couldn't go on with her feet throbbing this bad.

Nora sat down on the cement foundation and rubbed her feet. She looked around the settlement as she did so. This wasn't the life Nora envisioned she'd have when she married her husband, Nate. She didn't envision waking up two hundred years in the future with the world in ruins. Nora thought about all of this many times during her travels. She remembered stumbling, disoriented, into the remains of Sanctuary and finding her home a shell of what it once was. Her robot butler, Codsworth, survived the devastation and directed her to the ruins of Concord, where her life changed again.

Now, Sanctuary was a thriving settlement and the Minutemen, the people she helped in Concord, were a growing force. Nora figured she had accomplished more now than she ever had or would before the bombs dropped two hundred years ago. Two hundred years ago, Nora Howard was a housewife. She married Nate when he graduated basic and settled down to a pretty typical life. She was a law student before meeting Nate and had graduated just before they married. They were living off the money from Nate's army retirement, which was very generous, and things were seemingly perfect.

Before the war, Nora busied her days with cleaning, taking care of newborn Shaun, and taking Codsworth to help her with the shopping. Sometimes, she'd do her gardening, or have coffee at a neighbor's house, or just watch television, but that was the extent of her excitement. One was not short on excitement nowadays. Every time she left Sanctuary, something new happened and it normally involved shooting something.

Last time she left Sanctuary, Sturges had been working to reroute the plumping to get water from the river, meaning the bathrooms and sinks would work again and hopefully no more using outhouses on the outskirts of the settlement. The one thing Nora really wanted working was the showers. She could really use one right about then. She brought in some filters from a factory she scavenged and was hoping they could filter out most of the rads in the river water.

As she rubbed the feeling back into her bare feet and tried to keep the jacket from untying, Nora tried to arrange the events of the last day or so in her mind. She remembered needing to clear her head after the mess with Paladin Danse and Elder Maxson. Despite being affiliated with the Minutemen (she was their General, after all), and the Railroad, Nora had been spending a lot of time with the Commonwealth's newest power players: The Brotherhood of Steel.

Truth be told, she didn't like them much. They hated everything she swore to protect. It never mattered to Nora who was a Synth or a Ghoul or a human, she wanted to protect the people and help rebuild. The Brotherhood just had the technology and know-how to do all of those things. When she met Paladin Danse on her way to take back the Castle, she gave them a hand in finding a deep range transmitter (whatever the hell that was) and helped them reinforce their outpost to the best of her abilities. When Paladin Danse offered to sponsor her entry into the Brotherhood of Steel, told him she'd think about it. She actually didn't think she'd ever see him, Scribe Haylen, or Knight Rhys ever again until the Prydwen flew overhead during the sunrise.

It was then Nora Howard knew what she had to do. If anyone in the Commonwealth was going to help her get into the Institute to find her son, it would be them. If they built a massive flying fortress like the Prydwen, then building a way to get into the Institute would be some building and a few fetch missions away. Nora would need to fake her way through some missions, but one does not go to law school without learning how to fake charisma.

It had apparently worked, because before she knew it, she was a Knight without having to do much of anything. Even after the molecular transporter had been built and used, Nora didn't see much reason for her to stay in the Brotherhood of Steel. She got the answers she needed, though not the ones she wanted. When Elder Maxson asked for a full report after she returned from the Institute, she only gave him a few pages and never spoke of it again. From what the report said, Maxson fully understood why.

Nora knew why she stayed, but she didn't want to admit it was for such a petty reason. Paladin Danse was her sponsor, her mentor, and her friend. Every time they went out on a mission, or were just walking around on the Prydwen, Nora felt at ease. He was a tough commander; stubborn, strong-willed, and didn't accept anything except 100%. When she first saw him at Cambridge, she almost fainted. She would never admit this to him or anyone, but save for a few scars, he was almost the spitting image of her late husband. She almost called him Nate the first time they talked, but she stopped herself.

Then the shocking truth came in the form of Elder Maxson accusing her of hiding things. Maxson sounded like a jealous lover the way he accused Nora of knowing that Danse was, in fact, an Institute Synth. Of course, this news nearly knocked Nora off her feet. Everyone in Sanctuary always joked that Danse had a stick up his ass, but none of them would have guessed he was a Synth.

"It's not right!" Nora had shouted to Maxson when he gave her the order to execute Danse. "I won't do it! Danse deserves a chance to explain himself!"

Elder Maxson was not a debating man. He was young, probably no older than twenty by Nora's estimate, but already looked like a man of about thirty. When Elder Maxson wanted something done, it got done or there was hell to pay. He was handsome, in a weather-beaten thousand-yard stare type of way. His eyes were sometimes cold, but she sometimes caught him looking at her with an unfamiliar softness whenever she and Danse left the room. He was stern with her whenever Danse was around, but when they somehow found themselves alone, Elder Maxson spoke to her like she wasn't someone directly under him. But the evening the truth was revealed, he talked to her like she was a child about to be punished.

"You will do it! This is not up for judgement or debate! I am giving you a direct order, Knight! And I expect you to follow it without question!" Elder Maxson had said before turning to face the window. "I'm not blind to the fact that Danse was…" he looked like he was looking for the right words to say. "…your mentor, and this isn't an easy burden to bear. But if we are to remain strong, we can't afford to make exceptions, even when it means executing one of our own." He said a few more things about Proctor Quinlan that she wasn't paying attention to and then refused to acknowledge her any further. When Nora started to leave, Maxson shouted for her to stop, but still didn't turn to look at her. "Knight, there is a promotion for you riding on the results of these orders, so don't disappoint me."

Nora thought about this entire debacle for the last few days. She wanted to leave the Brotherhood anyway, now that she got what she needed, but couldn't bring herself to leave Danse. Nora thought about the gun she held in her hand when she descended down the elevator. She heard the orders a thousand times in her head, but when she finally reached the bottom floor of the bunker and saw Danse sitting behind the window, she couldn't bring herself to harm him. Nora had never seen that look before on Danse. He was accepting failure, which was something he taught her to never do.

Through tears and words of encouragement, Nora talked Danse into choosing life. She wasn't going to kill him. She'd take hell from Maxson if she had to back at the ship, but she was planning to go back there and tell him where he could shove his new rank before giving him the finger as she left. While she confidently planned this all in her head, she was still terrified to see Elder Maxson standing outside the bunker, his personal Vertibird parked nearby.

Nora brought the jacket closer to her chest when a soft wind came through the empty streets of Sanctuary. The coldness reminded her of Elder Maxson's face when she and Danse left the bunker. His expression was like he had caught them in an intimate tryst. The way he yelled at her about disobeying his orders made her feel that way, anyhow. Somehow, they had talked Elder Maxson into not executing them both right there in the middle of nowhere.

But it was what happened when she returned to the Prydwen a few days later that resulted in her making a mad dash into Sanctuary at 6am wearing nothing except a thick leather coat and her Pip-Boy. Nora decided she had rested enough and made sure no one else was around. She had been making a list of regrettable actions in her head, and now she had something to add to it. Somewhere near the top, though not number one. Or maybe it would be, after she had time to think more clearly.

Thinking she was alone, Nora slowly made her way to her old house. She had fixed it up and cleaned it out as best she could and even put a little patio table and two chairs in what was once her back yard. Nora made her way to the side door, which was under a car port, and leaned against the side of the house. She had fixed up and jury-rigged an old gas station ice freezer to work and put it there so the settlers could store meats and other dry goods while Sturges built the warehouse. It was also where she had stored some beer and decided to help herself to one. She realized she probably shouldn't be drinking, since drinking was one of the reasons she was now half-naked.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking, Blue?" said a voice from behind Nora. Nora slowly turned around and saw Piper Wright standing behind her with a hand on her hip. Piper had been staying in Sanctuary for a little while, mostly to do a story on how the Minutemen were slowly rebuilding and gaining in numbers. Of course, most of the settlers found Piper to be nosy and in the way, but Nora liked having Piper around. It was refreshing to talk to someone who didn't sugar coat things for Nora, as most people did when they found out she was from a Vault. Piper then noticed what Nora was and wasn't wearing. "…and a little too cold to be walking around almost completely naked?"

Not bothering to ask why Piper was up so early, Nora just sighed. The jig was up. "There is nothing I could make up on the spot that wouldn't sound more insane than the truth." Nora said, leaning her now aching head against the freezer.

"It's my job to bring the people the truth, no matter how bad it hurts." Piper smiled, knowing she couldn't take credit for that line and that Nora wouldn't understand the reference.

Nora decided she had to tell someone or it would eat her alive. Piper was probably the closest friend Nora had made since leaving the Vault. She had accepted a long time ago that whatever she said to Piper might end up in her newspaper, Publick Occurrences. But Piper was a good friend, and normally kept what Nora confided in her a secret. Piper never published anything without Nora's consent. Piper may have been nosy and prone to getting them into trouble for the sake of a story, but she was loyal and Nora treasured that most of all. "Piper, I have a story I need to tell, and though I know it's probably going to end up in that paper of yours, I need to tell someone before I explode."

Piper grabbed a beer for herself out of the freezer and followed Nora to the backyard patio table, where they wouldn't be bothered. The two sat down, Nora forgetting that she was still only wearing the jacket and nothing underneath. "Blue, you know you can tell me anything. Now, what's wrong?" Piper asked. Piper looked concerned for more than just the obvious reason. She had never known Nora to look so distressed, except when she came back from the Institute the first time. She had visited Piper right after reporting back to the Brotherhood and told her everything, including the truth about Shaun.

"Piper, promise me you won't think any less of me for what I'm about to tell you." Nora moaned.

"Blue, everything we've been through, there is nothing you could say or do that could make me think less of you." Piper smiled reassuringly and it gave Nora some comfort. "Now, you want to tell me why you're sneaking around Sanctuary this early in the morning with nothing on except an oversized leather jacket with the Brotherhood insignia on it?"

Nora whimpered a bit, trying to find the best way to begin this story. "Remember how I told you about Danse being a Synth?"

Piper nodded. "Yeah, you came back here to rest and put some gear away, I remember. You barely said hello, much less good-bye before you made your way back to Boston Airport. Does this have to do with what happened after you came back? Did something happen with Elder Maxson?"

Nora only nodded.

Piper looked concerned. "Blue…" she looked at Nora intensely. She felt she already knew what Nora was about to say. "…What happened?"

Nora looked like she was about to cry, but she only gave Piper a pitying look. She felt like she was before a jury of everyone she had met up until this point and she was going to be judged for this crime. She groaned and buried her head in her arms. Nora decided to just say it and get it over with, hoping it would allow to tell the story without incident.

"…I slept with Elder Maxson…"

* * *

 **Hi, hi everyone! I'm Luna Peachie!**

 **You might know me, but if you don't, hello! Nice to meet you! Lately, I've been trying my hand at some Fallout fics. I already have one roaming around here somewhere called Silver Lining. I'm actually quite proud of that one, so I decided to try my hand at another one. This one would be more adult oriented, meaning there will be sexy times, as well as violence, dirty jokes, badly described nudity, and sock puppets. Don't ask me how that last one fits in. When it happens, you'll know.**

 **As evidenced by the name of this story, most of the chapters will revolved around Elder Maxson's famous battlecoat in some manner. That coat is going to get some mileage put on it, let me tell you now. Thing will be done in, on it, and possibly to it. I don't think Abaxo will be able to get those stains out lol.**

 **I know this is only the first chapter, but how did I do? I really have a good plan for this story and I want to keep it going. So, write me a review and let me know how I did! Writing Fallout fiction is hard because there is a lot of lore going on that you have to take into account and the fandom is not shy about letting you know about one slip-up. It's good in a way, but also frustrating to the writer who is trying to bring entertainment, as well as stay lore friendly. I'll do both to the best of my abilities!**

 **So, you know the drill! Well, you will soon anyway! Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	2. It Happened One Night

_The Battle Coat_

It Happened One Night

"OH MY GOD, BLUE!" Piper shouted, almost spilling her beer on the rusty patio table.

The entire settlement almost heard her shout that when Nora started telling Piper the story. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, but maybe that was just Nora's thinking. Of course, she was about to tell her closest friend since leaving the Vault that she not only deserted the Brotherhood of Steel but also the reason why she was wearing nothing but her Pip-Boy and a thick battle coat.

Nora hadn't touched the drink she brought over for herself. "It's not like I'm proud of myself!" Nora moaned, rubbing her now throbbing head. It was probably three in the morning when Nora left the Prydwen (hopefully) unnoticed and made her way back to Sanctuary. In hindsight, she could have gone to Diamond City, but she didn't realize that until she was halfway into Lexington. She blamed it on thinking about the previous night's events.

"Oh man, you have to let me write this in my paper!" Piper laughed, getting over her initial shock.

"No!" Nora shouted. "If this got out, the Brotherhood of Steel would hunt us both down like dogs."

"Oh, I think I can outrun a bunch of walking tin cans. The lasers? Well, as long as I stay in a heavily covered area…" Piper started to think about how she would escape a Brotherhood siege should the need ever arise. She figured she'd probably need to someday.

"Piper, focus!" Nora growled. "You're the closest friend I've made since leaving the Vault and I need to tell this to someone before I explode." Nora slunk down in her chair, giving Piper another pitying look.

Piper sighed, sat back, and crossed her arms. "Fine. I won't tell a soul. I can't promise I won't change names and events for a later story, though."

Nora figured that would have to do. "Alright, promise you won't think any less of me…"

"Blue, I've told you already; as much as we've been through together nothing can make me do that." Piper picked up her beer and paid attention.

Nora sighed and decided to start from the beginning.

 _ **Early the Previous Night**_

The Brotherhood of Steel never actually meant much to Nora. She saw them as a means to an end. She never had anything against Ghouls or Synths, but the Brotherhood had the technology she needed to reach her goal, and the know-how to use it. If it meant faking it through some drills and missions, she could do that. She'd had to fake many things before she met her husband.

They had helped her get into the Institute and now there was really no reason she should stick around. Well, that wasn't really true. Paladin Danse had been her sponsor into the Brotherhood and he was beside her during each mission. They had grown close in their time as teammates. _Very_ close. It was then she realized she was staying for him. She smiled thinking about the loving looks they exchanged during private moments, like two high school students keeping a forbidden love a secret.

Elder Maxson had no right to force her into a decision. So what if Danse was a Synth? She didn't care. He was human to her. Nora didn't kill Danse, but now he was blacklisted from the only family Danse had ever known. All of his hard work to get to the position he was at, was all for nothing.

Nora felt responsible for all of this. If she hadn't needed a way into the Institute, none of this would have happened. If she hadn't stopped to help Danse's recon team in the remains of Cambridge, this never would have happened. Hell, at this point she figured if she never walked out of the Vault this never would have happened.

She hadn't reported in with Elder Maxson yet. She couldn't face him after everything that was said. How could she look him straight in the eye after all of that? Nora often came to the forecastle of the Prydwen to think after difficult missions. It was usually quiet up there. She could see the Castle from the Prydwen. She decided to head that way once she left the Prydwen. They didn't care who was a Synth or a Ghoul, their main goal was the help the Commonwealth's citizens, no matter what.

Nora turned around and was about to head back inside when the door suddenly opened. To her surprise and dread, it was Elder Maxson. He looked just as surprised as she did. "So this is where you've been hiding, Knight." He said, blocking her only means of escape. "I've been waiting for our debriefing and I was starting to think you weren't coming back from your mission. It seems I'm not the only one who comes up here to think and to clear the air."

The thought of not returning after the Danse fiasco did cross her mind. But Nora didn't want to leave any of her stuff behind. That, and she figured she could plunder the storeroom for supplies before she dipped out completely. Now, this 6"5' man blocked her only exit. She was starting to wonder if the jump from this height would kill her when Elder Maxson started speaking again.

"If something is troubling you, Knight, I want to know. The wellbeing of my crew is my top priority." Elder Maxson actually sounded sincere when he said that.

Nora sighed, knowing there was no way around this. Elder Maxson, despite being only twenty, had the stature of a man who had least three decades of experience under his belt. She figured he was too smart to believe any story she came up with. "This whole ordeal with Danse…" she started.

Elder Maxson put up his hand, telling her to stop there. "As far as I'm concerned, Knight, Paladin Danse is dead. He was pursued and killed by you, and his remains incinerated. That's what's going on the official record, and that's the story I'm sticking to."

"It isn't right." Nora snorted, turning back to the forecastle. "Paladin Danse gave his blood, sweat, and tears for the Brotherhood and now everyone is acting like he never existed."

"Wartime is not the time for sentimentality, Knight." Maxson said, his hands behind his back. "The Institute is now within our grasp and soon, we'll strike. But we have other internal problems to deal with."

"Yeah, problems like ignoring the accomplishments of one of the best soldiers you've ever had." Nora snorted again.

Maxson growled, but continued. "I know you were close to Danse. He was like a brother to me. But he was a Synth spy-"

"You have no evidence that he was a spy!" Nora shouted. "For all you know, he was just a runaway Synth that the Railroad helped and he somehow found his way into the Brotherhood."

"That is what makes it more dangerous." Maxson growled back. "If the Institute found out one of their Synths was within our ranks, they could flip a switch or whatever it is they do, and he could wipe us all out. It could have happened here on the Prydwen or it could have happened out when you were on a mission with him. Either way, I will not allow any harm to come to anyone under me. Whether it be the youngest squire or the highest ranking knight, I am not willing to make an exception when it comes to Synths." Maxson barely moved from his spot.

Nora kept her back turned, deciding to start distancing herself from the Brotherhood now. Maxson knew he forced her into making a decision she couldn't possibly see a way out of. She talked Elder Maxson into letting Danse live, but she felt it was a hollow victory if he couldn't see where she was coming from.

Elder Maxson cleared his throat. "The reason I wanted to talk to you was to discuss a promotion. Danse's 'death' has left us with an opening in our chain of command. I wish to hereby promote you to Paladin. All of Danse's possessions, his quarters, even his armor, are yours as of this moment."

Her eyes widening in disgust, Nora turned around. "You...you're acting like these are gifts to be given."

Elder Maxson have her a grim smile. "If these were gifts from me, you'd know it. I'm just filling a hole."

Nora almost laughed at that. She didn't believe for one moment that he wasn't handing her the rank of Paladin on a silver platter. If that's how she got that rank, she didn't want it. She didn't say it, though. After everything was said and done, Nora just wanted to leave. She had a long way to travel and she didn't want to see the Prydwen up close anymore. "I'm going to get some rest in my new 'quarters'." said Nora, trying to avoid Maxson's gaze. "We'll continue this conversation in the morning."

Maxson didn't move from his spot. "There is…one other thing I want to discuss with you, while we're in private. I know this isn't the best time to bring this up, but seeing as war with the Institute is an inevitable truth at the moment, we may not get a chance like this anytime soon. Paladin Howard, as Elder, I have certain responsibilities to the Brotherhood. I am a leader, a mentor, and…" He looked below as he said it, watching some initiates training. He was almost embarrassed by them. Most couldn't fire straight, while some looked like they didn't know their own ass from a hole in the ground, much less where to find either. "…sometimes a loving, yet silently disappointed father."

Nora crossed her arms and leaned back on the railing. She noticed he took a step forward, maybe to make sure she didn't fall. "What are you saying, Elder?"

Clearing his throat, Elder Maxson knew this had to be said with the utmost delicacy. "What I'm saying is, at some point I won't have the Institute as an excuse when I'm asked why I haven't produced a sufficient heir to what is going to be my legacy. The Western Brotherhood has been on me since I started this campaign to find a suitable wife and produce an heir to the Maxson line. That is why, as of right now, I am offering you a rank no one else will succeed you in. It's a rank many women have taken in the past and after seeing you in action, and getting to know you on a personal level, I believe you're perfect."

Ignoring the stray fire and an instructor screaming in pain below, Nora looked at Maxson like a radstag in headlamp lights. Part of her didn't want him to finish that sentence. But another part of her REALLY didn't want him to finish that sentence. "Perfect for…?" Nora looked at him inquisitively, but she already had an inkling of what he was going to say.

"Paladin Nora Howard, I'm offering you a chance to be Lady Maxson…" Maxson bowed his head with his hand on his heart. "…my wife."

If Nora had been drinking something, she would have spit it out when Maxson said that. She just stared at him, not sure what to say. The first thing that popped into her mind was _You can take your Paladin rank and your marriage proposal and shove both where the sun don't shine,_ but she didn't say that.

"W-Why me?" was all that escaped Nora's lips.

Maxson smiled. "Well, obviously you are the best suited for the position. Your exploits in battle are bit haphazard for my liking, but you get the job done. You follow rules, you've only talked back to me once, but I think a little arguing can be good for a relationship. Keeps the mind sharp. Not to mention you got us into the Institute without us having to dig a giant hole in the middle of The Commonwealth. And, if you're permit me, you're funny, smart, and…" Maxson started blushing. Nora was unaware he was capable of such an action. She figured the scar on his cheek might have kept him from doing that. "…your Old World beauty and charm are a welcome distraction from the rad burns and smoke smell most wasteland women have acquired. Despite everything, you've also kept yourself in good health. I think you and I would make good, strong children together."

Nora blushed. She wasn't sure if she was flattered by the offer. It sounded like he was brokering some kind of business deal and trying to sweeten the pot. Nora admitted, she respected Elder Maxson to a degree and his was quite handsome. But part of her still pined for Nate, her deceased husband. Maybe that was another reason she stayed around the Brotherhood of Steel; it reminded her so much of the army life she and Nate grew accustomed to before Nate came home. It was comforting, but it brought back more than just good memories.

Turning around again, Nora tried not to think about it. "I'm flattered, I really am. But I'm just not sure if…" Nora tried to choose her words wisely. Despite appearances, Elder Maxson could be vain at times and didn't like to be questioned. She wanted to let him down easy, but also make a quick escape afterward. "…I'm not sure if I'm ready to give my heart to someone else."

Elder Maxson smiled and put his big hands on her shoulders. "I know I've asked you to make some very difficult decisions in the past few days. I know I have no right to ask for your hand in marriage after ordering you to turn a gun on your friend and mentor. But if you'll permit me, I'll explain."

Nora decided to humor him, if it meant leaving within the foreseeable future. "Alright, I'm listening." She murmured.

Elder Maxson cleared his throat. "When I saw Danse emerge from that bunker, it made my blood boil. I knew you hadn't followed my orders. My gut told me you wouldn't. The anger I was feeling only intensified and I couldn't understand why. It felt like you were throwing away everything we stood for and worked so hard to gain. But it wasn't until you emerged and stood next to him, that it hit me. My chest tightened, my mouth became dry, and all these thoughts I've never had before started popping up in my head. Then you told me that if I didn't spare Danse, I'd lose you as well. Strangely, it didn't feel like you were abandoning the Brotherhood, it felt like you leaving me for someone else. I didn't understand why I thought that when the subject never arose between us. When you stood up for him, stood your ground, despite me being a superior officer, I knew what it was. Every time you came back from a mission for one of the proctors, I felt my heart flutter when you stood before me. I'd read and reread your reports just to see your handwriting. Every time someone said your name, I stopped and listened, even if it was just said in passing. Then it hit me; whether I wanted to or not, I had fallen in love with you. I haven't felt like that since…" Maxson tightened his grip and shook the thought away.

Nora took a deep breath and was about to pull him up short, but stopped. A minute ago, she would have punched him for what he tried to make her do. But right now, she felt herself softening to him. Nora put a hand over his on her shoulder. "I…I don't know…"

"You don't have to answer right now. I know customs were different in your time. Before you give me your answer, come to my quarters. We'll still celebrate your promotion." Elder Maxson turned on his heel and left the forecastle without another word.

While she had no real intention of joining Elder Maxson in his quarters, Nora still found herself standing in front of his closed door later that night. She had inspected her new quarters, and was impressed that Danse had such a nice room. She also thought it was nice that someone (probably an initiate at Maxson's request) had set a food dish on the floor for Dogmeat, her faithful canine companion. If Dogmeat were sitting right beside her, and not in the care of Piper in Sanctuary, he'd be giving her a disapproving look.

She told the imaginary Dogmeat to shut up and she raised her hand to knock. She was going to tell Elder Maxson straight that she wasn't interested in being Paladin Howard _or_ Lady Maxson. Nora smiled, playing the entire scene out in her head. She was going to march in, salute Elder Maxson, and tell him her answer. He'll be heartbroken, but she figured he'd eventually understand. Then, she'd pack whatever she could get away with taking and leave. Nora softly knocked on Elder Maxson's door and waited for it to open.

The Prydwen was oddly silent that night. If the loud music, hooting and shouting, and careless laser fire from below was any clue, she figured mostly everyone was down at the airport celebrating Liberty Prime becoming fully functional. She guessed the only other people on the ship were her, Maxson, maybe Knight Lancer Kells, and probably Proctor Teagan. Kells because someone needed to keep the ship from plummeting into the ground and Teagan because she wasn't sure if he could actually leave that store of his.

Nora didn't know how long she waited to be let in, but it felt like forever. Finally, the door opened slowly. Elder Maxson peeked his head out and smiled. He opened the door fully and let Nora in. Nora was surprised by how sparse his quarters were. It was bigger than Danse's, of course. Maybe it was because of the big table in the middle of the room. She guessed his quarters also doubled as a meeting room. As Maxson closed the door behind her, Nora gave the room another hard look. There was a terminal at the end of the room, a row of lockers, and a small dresser with liquors on top and probably inside. She figured the man who was basically an overdressed babysitter would need hard liquor at the ready at all times.

"Admittedly, it needs a woman's touch." Elder Maxson said. Nora heard that same excuse when she had met her husband. He was fresh out of training and living in the barracks. It too was sparsely decorated and the only reason it was ever clean was because of surprise inspections. She likened it to a college dorm, but more organized. "Hopefully, that won't be an issue soon." He continued, walking over to the dresser/liquor cabinet. Nate had said the same thing, as well. Nora wasn't sure if she should cry or be scared.

What she did know was that she didn't want to be roped into the marriage conversation right away. She wanted to slowly make her way to the heart-wrenching rejection. She watched Elder Maxson pour what she assumed was whiskey into two clean glasses and handed her one. "Considering what most wastelanders call a home these days, I'd say this room is pretty nice." She said, trying not to sound like she was judging him.

Elder Maxson chuckled. It was a sad chuckle as he pushed out a chair for her and then one for himself. "I've seen." He said, just staring into his glass. "Most people in the Brotherhood see me as some pampered legacy, but they don't understand the things one has to do to become Elder. The sacrifices one makes. The lives lost…"

Nora watched him down the drink in one slug. He realized she hadn't touched hers yet. He poured himself another when he thought she wasn't looking. Nora cleared her throat. "Yeah, I know about the lives lost part first hand."

"Your husband…" Maxson said, not looking at her but as his glass. He shook his head, as if he has just heard a brother in arms had fallen. "The Vault-Tec Corporation were bastards. They didn't care about keeping people safe or the lives they destroyed for their experiments."

Nora agreed with him on that. "They told us they were decontamination pods, decompression and stuff like that so we'd be clean when we went further into the Vault. I never thought I'd be unfrozen long enough to see the Institute murder my husband and kidnap my son." Nora squeezed her glass tight.

Now it was Elder Maxson's turn to dispel the awkwardness. "Well, let's not think of the negative. What does that song say? Accentuate the positive?" Elder Maxson stood and held his glass up. "Tonight, I, Elder Arthur Maxson of the East Coast Chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel, propose a toast to the Brotherhood's newest paladin: Paladin Nora Howard. May she serve the Brotherhood…" Elder Maxson glanced down at her with a hungry look. "…and it's Elder for many years to come."

When he took a swing, Nora did too. Elder Maxson sat down and poured himself some more. He poured her more, too. The whiskey, or whatever it was, was a little too strong for her. "Ad Victorium!" she choked a bit, but swallowed anyway.

"It is strong. One of my men bought it off a trader that came by here. I confiscated it and now it's a part of my collection. They claim it's whiskey, but I doubt it is. Whatever it is, it goes down with a punch. I rather like it in the mornings. That coffee the scavenger teams keep finding in the ruins of old donut shops doesn't seem to give me that perk I need." Elder Maxson put his glass down and looked at her.

Nora cleared her throat and put her glass down as well. Maxson refilled it for her, as well as his own. "Look, Elder…"

"Call me Arthur." Elder Maxson insisted. "I offered you a chance to be my wife an hour ago, I think we're on a first name basis by now."

Nora cleared her throat again. " _Elder Maxson_ ," she started again. "I'm flattered by your offer, I really am. You might think I'm crazy, but I'm in love with a dead man."

Maxson cleared his throat this time. "I know you still love your husband. I'm not asking you to let me be his replacement. A love that deep can't be reproduced. What I am asking is that you give me a chance and we can build something new together. You get to be Lady Maxson, the Brotherhood would be at your beck and call. You'd automatically be above everyone else, myself excluded, and you won't have to answer to anyone anymore. And once our tour is finished and we establish a permanent chapter here in the Commonwealth, I'll take you back to the Capitol with me. From there, when the time is right, we'll go to Lost Hills in the west. I'll take my place as High Elder of the entire Brotherhood of Steel with you by my side. Hopefully, with a few little Maxsons along for the ride."

All of this was happening so fast. Nora took another swig from her glass and pointed for Maxson to pour her some more. He obliged. Nora took a deep swig and put her glass down again. Once again, he poured her another and then himself one. Eventually, they finished off that bottle and went on to a brown bottle filled with what the mess hall worker claimed was bourbon.

Nora felt the room swirl a bit, but decided she didn't care. Maxson looked like a man that could hold his liquor. She didn't want him to assume she was a lightweight. Of course, she was. She was usually the first one down whenever she and her friends had drinking contests in Sanctuary.

"Elder Maxson…" Nora started, trying to conceal a hiccup. "I have to be honest." Being honest took courage, and Nora downed some more bourbon just as Maxson was. "This whole ordeal has left a sour taste in my mouth."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's this bourbon." Elder Maxson corrected, looking at the bottom of his glass.

"Well, it does taste awful, but that's not what I meant." Nora put her cup down. She swayed again but caught her balance. "I mean I don't know if I can be the soldier and the wife you want me to be." Nora hoped she was playing this right. She wanted a quick escape.

In theory, she'd let him down easy, go to her new quarters, pretend to be asleep as she packed anything she could use, and then high-tail it out of there. She didn't expect for Elder Maxson to take her hands and gaze into her eyes.

"As Lady Maxson, you only have to worry about being one of those things from now on." Maxson whispered, squeezing her hands gently.

Nora stood there, Elder Maxson getting closer and eventually taking her in his arms. She didn't have a plan for this. She was surprised, however, to find his arms somewhat warm and comforting. Elder Maxson had such a cold exterior, she wasn't even sure if she could actually feel safe near him. Nora felt somewhat nostalgic, the embrace reminding her of when Nate used to hold her when she got scared or worried. He'd slowly take her in his muscular arms, rub her back, and whisper that he'd never let anything bad happen to her. Maxson even kissed the top of her head like Nate used to. To that, Nora let herself melt into Maxson's embrace. She didn't resist him, or what happened next.

Elder Maxson leaned down and kissed Nora. It wasn't an elaborate kiss nor was is forceful like in the old movies she used to drag Nate to on their date nights. It was a natural kiss, and she found his lips to be surprisingly soft and warm. It was a little surprising to her again that she didn't resist. Of course, she hadn't been with a man in the physical sense in over 200 years. She couldn't even remember the last time she and her now late husband had sex. It was sometime before Shaun was born, though.

Nora felt like butter melting on a warm piece of toast. The kiss became more elaborate when she let him slip his tongue slowly into her mouth. It was slow, but it was obvious that Elder Maxson was the dominant one in this embrace. She allowed her arms to wrap around his neck as he pinned her against the door, letting his kisses become more feverish and hungry.

Gasps of air escaped her lips as Maxson started kissing down her neck. She had taken the liberty of unbuttoning the neck of her Brotherhood uniform earlier, mostly because the Prydwen could get sweltering during the day. She felt his lips under her chin, going down her neck as far as her uniform would allow. Nora didn't refuse. Her body wouldn't let her. She felt him cup her left breast and gently squeeze it as he kissed her more. He seemed to lavish in her moans, her gasps, her rapidly beating heart.

Before he went any further, his lips returned to hers. They didn't kiss, though. "Paladin," he gasped, taking off his coat and throwing it absently toward the table. It landed on the floor next to his bed. "I've wanted you since you first set foot onto this ship with Danse. I didn't realize it until I almost lost you that I had these feelings." He kissed her again and let her cradle her head in his neck. Her heavy breathing into his neck excited him. "I knew you wouldn't kill him. That's why I had you followed. When the Vertibird made its way to your location, I thought about everything. How betrayed I felt by Danse, how I let myself get fooled by a Synth, and how close you were to him. I felt he had betrayed me twice; not just because he was a Synth. But because I knew you cared about him and I was scared he'd talk you into leaving the Brotherhood, into leaving me. That thought killed me more than Danse being a Synth."

Nora hadn't noticed her breasts perking up as he spoke. She felt the hand that was on her breast find its way to her hip. The sensation that someone was touching her sent a happy shiver through Nora. Like any woman, Nora wanted to be desired. She wanted to feel like there was a man that wanted her still. She knew he wanted her. His raging erection was poking her naval through his uniform. It was just itching to get out, and she could feel it throbbing against her stomach.

Brotherhood flight suits had a number of hidden zippers. Even though she had gotten in and out of this ugly orange jumpsuit many times, Nora believed she still hadn't found each zipper. Maxson, however, seemed to have no trouble finding the lower zipper that allowed the wearer to easily use the restroom without taking off the entire jumpsuit. He didn't unzip it, though. He played with it. Having his hand so close to her lady regions made Nora shiver.

He wanted her badly. She knew it because at that moment, she wanted it too. "I'm about to cross a line." Elder Maxson said, giving her neck one more kiss. "I must warn you, after this, there is no going back for me. Once I start, I can't stop. So please, if you want me to stop, tell me now before I lose control."

Nora would have appreciated this courtesy if her own panties weren't as wet as a mirelurk nest. She could feel him taking in her scent, and Nora was enjoying Maxson's as well. Nora bit her lip, which made Maxson's erection twitch. A minute or so passed. The only sounds in the room were the sounds of their heavy breathing.

Elder Maxson put two fingers on her chin and made her look up. Nora blushed and they kissed again. He couldn't hold it in anymore. Maxson wanted Nora so badly and nothing was going to stop him from having her. He wanted her more than he ever wanted a woman. More than…

"Out of that jumpsuit." Maxson gasped, kissing her neck and squeezing her right buttocks. "That's an order, soldier."

Everything was happening so fast that Nora couldn't remember where the zippers were. This made Maxson very impatient. He grabbed the neck of the jumpsuit with both hands and ripped it apart. It fell to the floor, a pile of cloth and some other material she didn't recognize gathering at her feet. Part of her sleeve dangled at her arm where her Pip-Boy still sat. She sometimes forgot she had it on, as used to it as she had become since leaving the Vault. Maxson walked in a circle around Nora, examining her entire physique. When he wasn't looking, she unsnapped her Pip-Boy and placed it on the table.

Breathing deeply, Maxson went over every little contour of Nora's near-naked body. Her time running around this new world had toned her up from the bean pole she was when she first left the Vault. Her hips were nicely rounded and her breasts were actually bigger than the ugly orange jumpsuit would suggest. He made a mental note to discontinue the orange jumpsuits. Maxson examined her, like he did when she first came aboard. Only this time, he wasn't examining her to make sure she wasn't just another Wastelander looking for a hand-out.

Maxson smirked and stood before her, erect in more ways than one. Maxson slowly found the hidden zipper for his black officer's uniform and unzipped it all the way down. Unlike Nora's pile of ripped cloth, his uniform slowly descended from his body and landed neatly next to his coat. Wearing a bra and panties, Nora was the most dressed person in this room. There was a bet going around that Elder Maxson went commando under his jumpsuit. Nora now owed Proctor Ingram fifty caps.

In all his glory, Maxson stood exposed to Nora. Nora blushed, looking down at Elder Maxson's "second in command" with astonishment. She could feel it's length and girth when it was poking her in the naval during their make-out session, but seeing it up close was a different story. She often imagined a man with his physic and strict command would be a little lacking down there. She was wrong. Seeing his cock standing in attention, as if saluting her, and how big it was made her happy that she was wrong.

Nora shivered when Maxson stepped closer and kissed her again. His cock once again pressed against her naval, though not bound by the uniform this time. She got lost in his kisses, letting him go down her neck to her breasts. Nora figured he, like most men, couldn't deal with unsnapping a bra, so once again, he just ripped off the obstructing article of clothing. Before she could protest and ask if he knew how long it was going to be before she found another bra, Maxson attached himself to her right nipple and started sucking. It was strangely erotic and nostalgic seeing him do this.

She shivered again feeling his massive fingers slide into her panties to feel how wet she was. Maxson made a satisfied moan, feeling how slippery she was. Nora grabbed his shoulder when he slid one of his big fingers into her starving nether region. This was a long time coming, and whatever doubts she had were gone. Or she was completely ignoring them so she could enjoy this.

Nora let out strained moans as Maxson suckled her nipples. She felt his tongue twirl around while he sucked, as if trying to get milk that was no longer there to come out. She winced when he softly bit her nipple, and he stopped biting when he saw her wince in pain. He slowed down his near-worship of her breasts to focus on the work his finger was doing. He drove his middle finger in deep and started going faster, making her moan loud enough to echo off the walls of his room. He could feel her getting close, as his hand was nearly drenched with her juices. Maxson slowed down and slowly slipped his finger from her.

Though she wanted to ask why he stopped, all that escaped from her mouth was a yearning moan. She wanted him to finish, good lord she was warmer than the Glowing Sea during a heat wave. Maxson stood up and slowly licked his middle finger, the one that had been going to town on her snatch less than two seconds ago. He didn't take his eyes off her when he did this.

Maxson grabbed her up and laid her on the table, kicking a few chairs out of the way. Nora watched as Maxson once again ripped her last article of clothing away. Maxson gazed at Nora's nethers as if he hadn't seen food in days. He started licking it like he hadn't, also. Watching the Elder of the Brotherhood eat her out like a starving animal was hypnotizing and erotic at the same time. It felt pretty awesome as well, she would later recollect. Elder Maxson feasted upon her fruit as if it were a feast from the gods. He lavished her with the same tongue twirls he gave to her nipples, which felt even better down below. She grabbed his head and forced him deeper, holding onto his hair as she did.

Each lick, each soft gnawing, sent a shiver through Nora. Not even Nate had given her this much attention whenever they had sex. She moved his head every so often, just to let Maxson know which spot felt the best and a soft tug on his hair when he went too fast or slow. She let out a loud moan as she got ever close to her climax. "Oh, god Arthur!" Nora shouted, as Maxson's tongue gave her a nice little swirl. "Don't stop! Keep going!"

Looking up, Maxson saw her hand leave his head and grab one of her breasts. She was wobbly, balancing on the table with one arm. He was throbbing to the point of almost exploding. When Maxson suddenly stopped and stood up, Nora looked at him with hurt and yearning eyes. She knew what he wanted. She slid off the table and sat on the floor. The floor was cold, which she thought was odd considering the room was actually quite humid now.

"As Lady Maxson," he started, softly petting her sweaty messy hair. "There are certain expectations you must meet. You already meet two of them." Maxson shivered when he felt her hand go up his thigh. "You are healthy, you follow orders. I didn't even have to tell you what happens next. All the others questioned me, or refused outright. But you…" Maxson felt Nora take his throbbing cock in her hand, which seemed smaller now compared, and slowly start to move it. "…no, you know what a man wants. You were a good wife to Nate, I can tell. Loving, supportive, and sexually giving."

Nora didn't want to talk about Nate while she was giving another man a hand job. "There were others?" she asked, starting slow.

Maxson moaned, but didn't falter. "A few. The West Coast Elders have been on me for almost a year now to find a wife. No one fit the bill of what an Elder's Wife should be." He groaned the last few words, feeling her pace quicken. "Some were too obedient, not telling me what they wanted or liked, just letting me do as I please. And while that's fine for most men just looking for a quick in-and-out, it doesn't make for good wife material. Some were too inexperienced, looking for me to do all the work. Some weren't even interested in me, just the title. But you…"

He shivered again when she gave the tip a little kiss before taking his manhood into her mouth. Maxson moved toward the table and leaned against it. Their eyes met when she glanced up and he smiled. He liked how she used her tongue and it nearly made his knees weak when she started going faster. Maxson grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her to take the entirety of his cock into her mouth. He ignored her choking sounds and the dribbles of saliva forming at the sides of her mouth. Her bobbing head seemed to match the pace his hips were going.

Nora forced herself back and coughed a bit. He was far from finished. She knew that. When he looked up at his sweaty pecks, it was then she noticed how hot the room was. Strange how she hadn't noticed it until she was on the floor. Maxson forced her to take his cock in her mouth again and thrusted it hard enough to make her gag. Maxson seemed to enjoy seeing Nora's face go red and choking tears stream down her face. He let a loud moan when she slowly slipped his manhood from her mouth.

"You do that like a pro." He whispered with a self-satisfying smirk. Nora starting jacking him slowly again, letting a few traces of pre-cum escape the tip. Maxson smiled when she lapped it up and let some spill of her chest. He didn't want to get off this way. Maxson wasn't going to spill his valuable seed on his almost-soon-to-be-wife's chest. He had plans in mind for that.

"I had practice before I was frozen." Nora joked, wiping her mouth.

Maxson caressed Nora's cheek, the loving motions calming her a bit. It was about this time that Maxson decided they needed to stop teasing each other. He had just declared to this woman that he loved her and wanted to make her his wife. Now, he was going to prove it. Maxson helped Nora off the floor and kissed her again. He ignored the strange taste of his own pre-cum on her lips and directed her toward the bed.

The bed was small, barely big enough to fit Maxson's muscular physique. "I'll have Teagan build us a bigger bed." Maxson whispered, laying Nora down first. Maxson's cock was still up and ready to go.

"That is, assuming I say yes to your proposal." Nora teased, her foot softly rubbing Maxson's throbbing manhood.

"I think I can persuade you." He teased back, rubbing her teasing foot with one hand and sliding his other hand along her waist.

"How so?" Nora asked, letting him slide his massive physique in between her legs.

"Paladin, I think you will find that I can be quite persuasive. When I want something, I see to it that it gets done." Maxson pressed his cock against her soft, wet opening. She was ready for him, but he decided to tease her a little bit. "My coat, for example." He continued, looking down at the floor where the jacket lay underneath his uniform. "It took a year to get the necessary materials and to get the design the way I wanted it, but there it is. There is no other coat like it in the entire Brotherhood of Steel, probably the entire Commonwealth. Its unassuming look makes it ideal for impromptu battle scenarios, its warm for the Commonwealth cold fronts I've heard about, not to mention, I've heard the ladies like it."

Nora snorted a little chuckle. Elder Maxson lowered himself enough to where he didn't crush her. "Well then, I might have to take it from you." She teased again.

Maxson snorted his chuckle this time. It was quiet for a bit. Maxson looked into her eyes as he continued to lower himself on her. "I want you." He whispered. "I want you to be mine. I can't stand the thought of someone else putting their hands on you. It kills me to think I almost lost you to that…that Synth." Maxson glared down at her. "You are mine, Lady Maxson."

Nora didn't feel the impact of this statement until she felt his hot throbbing manhood enter her warm, wet opening. She wasn't anticipating how big it actually was or how solid it felt. She wasn't sure if her moans were from pleasure or discomfort, and he didn't seem to care.

A loud moan escaped Maxson's lips when he was finally in all the way. He writhed a little, feeling how soft and warm she was. It was like coming in from the cold and being handed a hot cup of tea. Nora watched as Maxson shivered a bit from the feeling.

Maxson didn't bother to start slow. He needed this badly. He wanted it badly. Every thrust was forceful, not allowing Nora to become accustomed to him. His grunts timed with his thrusts, Maxson kept going. Despite how forceful Maxson was, Nora found herself enjoying this very much. She wasn't complaining, that was for sure.

To Nora, it felt like she wasn't even in her body anymore. She could see Maxson's face as it contorted to match the pleasure he was getting, but also she felt she could see above him; his muscular back arching and his toned buttocks as his hips thrusted his cock in and out of Nora's wet nether regions. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck and felt the sweat on his back. She wanted to grab his hair but it was cut in such an odd fashion that she couldn't grab the back of his head.

Nora sat up a bit when Maxson lifted himself up. He didn't stop thrusting for more than a minute, just long enough to reposition himself and Nora and then continue. At this angle, Nora could see how far his cock was in her. Before she could do anything, Maxson gave her a big, hard thrust, making her eyes widen. She could almost feel the tip of his hungry manhood touching her cervix opening, which she didn't even know was possible.

Seeing his cock thrust in and out of her made Nora hot. She had never seen it from this angle. He wanted her to see how much he wanted her. Every near painful thrust was a declaration of love from him. Nora felt Maxson lean down and then she felt his warm lips on hers as he pumped faster. She could feel his cock stiffen, as if it was ready. But he didn't finish there. By the look on his face, she could tell he was fighting it. He wanted this to last a little bit longer. He wanted to feel her, he wanted her to feel what he felt. He wanted more.

Before Nora knew it, her body was at an odd angle. She was so far gone into the pleasure she was feeling, she hadn't noticed Elder Maxson stop and get behind her on the bed. From behind, Maxson lifted her leg and plunged in deeper. His big hand reached around and grabbed her breast, squeezing it and pinching the nipple. Nora didn't like that, and she groaned her discomfort. Maxson turned her partly so he could see her face. He relished in her blushing cheeks and her sweaty brow. He kissed her again before returning to his original position above her.

Nora knew what this meant, because she was almost there, too. His thrusting became more feverish, as if he was trying to finish a race. Maxson was now completely on top of Nora again. He seemed to enjoy her bouncing breasts against his chest. "Oh, by steel!" he shouted, thrusting as fast as he could. His breathing became more strained and Nora knew Maxson was about to hit the finish line. Not before her, though. As Maxson gave Nora was big pump, her own climbing orgasm finally reached the peak. Nora grabbed Maxson's strong shoulders as a wave of pleasure went through her. One again, Nora had turned into butter and she was melting at Maxson's touch.

As this was happening, Maxson let out a groaning shout, which to Nora sounded like a bear fending off a rival. Maxson felt the walls of her snatch pulsate with her orgasm, soaking his cock in her splendid juices and warmth. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He had to do his duty as a man and the Elder.

Elder Maxson gripped Nora tightly and with an even louder moan than before, finally unleased his wave of pleasure satisfied inside of her. A shiver went through his lower body, as if he was letting out years of sexual frustration and pent up emotion. He held himself over him, his arms shaking from his own weight. Maxson took several deep breaths and then slowly let himself descend to the bed.

They didn't speak anymore after that. He fell asleep before she did, with his arms tightly wrapped around her. Nora drifted off to sleep after about an hour of trying to find a comfortable position. Her sleep wasn't peaceful, though. She woke up many times in the night, mostly just to make sure what just happened actually happened. She was still somewhat drunk from whatever was actually in that bourbon and whiskey bottle, but coherent enough to not be able to use it as an excuse for why she and Elder Maxson were laying naked in his bed.

Nora estimated it was probably about almost 4am when she was finally released from the vice-like grip Elder Maxson had on her. She slowly stood up and a cold shiver went through her as she felt something of Maxson's pour from her nether region and down her leg.

 _You are mine, Lady Maxson…_

That phrase went through her mind over and over as she picked up the remains of her clothes. She questioned his sincerity about loving her truly. Nora wasn't sure if he said it because passion made him or if he was directly telling her she belonged to him and no one else. She did know one thing, though: Nora had made a terrible mistake and if she didn't leave now, she'd regret it. Something in her mind was telling her to leave and never come back. Nora wasn't a big believer in foreshadowing or destiny, but this wouldn't go away until she did what it told her.

Nora looked around for anything she could wear; a spare uniform, a towel, anything. She wasn't sure why, but she grabbed Maxson's jacket, and only his jacket, and put it on. It was big on her, as she guessed it would be. She tied the sash as tight as she could and grabbed her Pip-Boy off the table. She looked over at Maxson as he turned over on his bed. Nora sighed, whispered her apology, and ran from his room before anyone could notice.

"Well, hello, Paladin!" Haylen shouted, as she dismounted from her Vertibird. Nora had made it to the flight deck before any patrols could notice her and now she was looking right at Scribe Haylen. Haylen was usually at the Cambridge outpost, but she had returned to the Prydwen for a reason Nora didn't really care about or listen to before shushing her.

"I know what you're thinking, and trust me it's a doozy of a story." Nora said, interrupting Haylen. The sun was coming up and Haylen would see in a moment. Nora had to be quick. "But I assure you, me not telling you is for your own protection. Scribe Haylen, I'm not giving you a direct order, I'm asking you as my friend, to please take me to Cambridge and drop me off on the outskirts."

Haylen blinked. "Cambridge outskirts? Why?" she asked.

Nora groaned. "I can't explain. Just trust me. You're an honest person and I know you'd never willingly lie to Elder Maxson. This way, if he finds out you had a hand in my leaving and asks you where you took me or why you took me there, you'll be telling the truth. So please, not as my subordinate but as my friend, do me this one favor."

The sun was coming up and Haylen could see the severity of the situation now. Nora had spared Danse, a man that meant a lot to both women (but for different reasons). If anything, Haylen owed Nora. Haylen sighed and got back into her Vertibird. "Alright, hop in." she whispered, making sure no one else was around. "I'm not technically due to report back for another hour, so let's make this quick. No scenic route or engaging hostiles."

Nora took one more look at the Prydwen as she and Haylen flew away from the massive ship. The ride was silent the entire way, which was fine by Nora. She had a headache and the booze from earlier wasn't helping much. Was she hung over? She had been hung over before but this felt more like regret and bad decisions. Vertibird rides normally didn't make her queasy, but Nora wanted to vomit so bad. She held back, knowing Haylen wouldn't appreciate having to clean it up.

Haylen looked over at Nora every so often, watching her shift in her seat, retighten the coat sash, reach into the coat pocket and examine its contents, and even put her Pip-Boy back on. Nora was going through the contents of the pocket and noted there was probably about 50 or 60 caps. Haylen wasn't sure what Nora meant when she whispered "Just enough…"

When they finally arrived on the outskirts of Cambridge, Nora thanked Haylen, promised to keep in touch, gave her some caps saying to give 50 to Proctor Ingram, and jumped from the Vertibird as it landed. Haylen watched in confusion as Paladin Nora Howard, barefoot and half-naked, ran at top speed away from Cambridge and toward parts unknown.

 _ **Back in the Present…**_

"…and then I made a mad dash here. I just wanted to get out of there so fast, I didn't realize I wasn't wearing any shoes until I stopped to catch my breath outside of Concord. All I grabbed was my Pip-Boy and his jacket, and when Haylen dropped me off outside of Cambridge, I made a run for it." Nora finished, burying her head in her arms on the table.

Piper, holding her beer up but not drinking it, just stared at Nora in disbelief. There was no way Piper _couldn't_ write this. It was too good of a story. "Jesus, Blue…" was all Piper managed to say. She put her beer down and leaned against the table.

"I'm not proud of myself." Nora whined. "I didn't realize what had happened until I woke up. I figured since I was only going to the Prydwen to pack up my things I didn't need a change of clothes or a big weapon, so I left it all here."

Piper laughed. "When traveling the Commonwealth, it's always a safe bet to have at least one of each no matter what."

"Yeah, you'd think I'd have learned that by now." Nora sat up and readjusted the coat she was wearing. "Well, it's not like I was ever going to wear that uniform again, and the only weapon I brought with me was a little 10mm I picked off a dead scavenger, so I guess I really have cut my ties with the Brotherhood of Steel."

Piper nodded, decided not to tell Nora her Pip-Boy was on upside down, and finally drank her beer. "Try to look at it this way, Blue..." Piper said, after taking a sip from her bottle. "Those tin soldiers in the Brotherhood of Steel are nothing but a bunch of glorified boy scouts in fancy armor. Their leader is an arrogant lunatic with control issues. They abandoned the best soldier they ever had on the assumption that he _might_ be a Synth, so they aren't exactly playing with a full deck over there. I say you dodged a bullet. Or in this case, a laser beam."

Nora swirled her beer around in its bottle, but still didn't drink anything. "Truth be told, Piper, I was never really in the Brotherhood for honor or glory." Nora looked around to make sure Danse wasn't within earshot. She had invited him to live in Sanctuary, where it'd be safer, and wasn't sure if he had arrived yet. She didn't hear massive metal footsteps, so she assumed he wasn't there. "They were a means to an end. They had the tech and the know-how I needed to get into the Institute. They served their purpose." Nora's voice was cold and Piper didn't like it.

"If that was true, why did you stay on so long?" Piper asked. Before Nora could answer, Piper did it for her. "For Danse, that's why. Even after the Brotherhood had outlived its usefulness to you, you couldn't bring yourself to abandon Danse. You were already looking for a reason to leave, and that nut Maxson finally gave you one when he told you to kill an innocent man. You're a top notch person, Blue. He's lucky to have you as a friend."

Nora picked up her beer and sat up straight. "He didn't deserve to just be discarded like trash. He was a good soldier. He reminded me of my husband when he was still serving. I saw what war had done to him, I couldn't stand to see it repeated with a good friend."

The two sat in relative silence for a while. A settler was ringing the morning bell telling everyone is was time to start their day. Sanctuary had gone from a few broken houses to a thriving mostly clean farm. The now empty houses had been repurposed as sleeping quarters and where one house once stood, a makeshift greenhouse made from discarded wood and glass had been erected. Some settlers looked like they were helping Sturges build a small warehouse were another house once stood.

Nora, giving up on her beer, stood up and tightened the coat around her waist. "I can't sit here all day. I want to head toward Diamond City and it might be a good idea to take the long way through the city. Has Sturges made any progress repairing the plumbing?" she asked, hoping to not be reminded anymore of her unintentional night of passion with the Brotherhood Elder.

Piper took one last swig from her beer and let out a satisfied sigh. "He's got most of it repaired and hooked up to get water from the river. Some houses have working water, some don't. Your old house might. He put in those filters you brought in last week to filter out most of the rads, but he said some might sneak in now and then." Piper got up to follow Nora. "Hey, what are you going to do with that jacket?"

Nora looked down at her only article of clothing. "Well, I guess I might as well keep it. It's not like I'm ever going back there again."

"It's a really nice jacket." Piper said, following Nora into her old home. "Do you think…maybe…you know, since the weather is starting to get colder…"

Nora chuckled and made her way to her old room. "You can borrow it for today if you want, Piper. Just give it back when we get to Diamond City. I want to see if I can replicate the materials so we can make extras for the settlers."

Piper stood outside Nora's room and waited for her to get dressed. "You know," Piper said loudly, despite there being no door to the room. "I wouldn't say this was the dumbest thing you've ever done, Blue. You and I have done some pretty crazy things together. But you still shouldn't feel bad. We've all woken up in unfamiliar places. Most of the time, it's because a raider ransacked a settlement and captured anyone who didn't fight back. I'd still say waking up naked next to the Brotherhood of Steel Elder is preferable to, say, waking up chained to an old radiator in a dilapidated raider camp."

There was truth in that statement. Now fully dressed in her old Vault suit and boots, and with her long hair in a bun, Nora walked with Piper into Sanctuary itself. She passed the coat to Piper, who happily put it on over her worn red coat and scarf.

"Wow, it really is nice." Piper said, feeling the rough leather. "So, Blue, how's about giving me the exclusive rights to this humdinger of a story?"

Nora sighed and reluctantly nodded. Piper wouldn't back down until she got what she wanted. "You're a nosy little gnome and I feed you too much." Nora chuckled. She then remembered something and let out a loud whistle. Dogmeat ran from his doghouse and met the two by the bridge. She and Piper had a long journey ahead of them if they wanted to get to Diamond City before nightfall, and she knew having Dogmeat to help keep watch would beneficial. "I don't want to be named." Nora hastily added.

The two walked out of Sanctuary, Dogmeat in tow, and headed toward the horizon.

 _ **A Few Days Later**_

"Still nothing?" asked Elder Maxson, as an initiate finished his report. Maxson had decided to personally see the progress the scribes were making with Liberty Prime, but he mostly just stood to the side and tried to look like he was contributing somehow. He was trying to keep his mind off the events from a few nights ago. Elder Maxson didn't want his mind to be fogged when he made a decision. It was sheer dumb luck that one of the foot patrols he sent out to find Nora had come back while he was down on the tarmac.

It was early evening and Elder Maxson had been down there most of the day, mostly just looking around and pretending to inspect the work areas.

"No, Sir. We did a full sweep of the local settlements and the nearby ruins. All our contacts around the Commonwealth told us the same thing; no one has seen hide or hair of Paladin Howard since she came back from dealing with former Paladin Danse. It's like she vanished into thin air. The nearby settlements are under Minuteman control. We couldn't do a thorough search without getting them involved. We went to the Castle and some snippy old woman in army fatigues told us to leave unless we wanted trouble." The Initiate was a young man, and looked eager to bring the fight to the Institute. Maxson made sure the brash young troops didn't do anything stupid before everything was ready. The last thing the Brotherhood of Steel needed was an all-out war with the Minutemen when they needed all their resources for the Institute.

The Brotherhood of Steel had an unspoken truce with the Minutemen at Fort Independence, or The Castle as they called it. As long as one stayed out of the other's territories or alerted each other that they were in the area doing a salvage sweep, all was well. Sometimes, the Minutemen would send people to trade ammo or supplies. Only the Minuteman came to the airport for trading. None of the Brotherhood foot patrols liked dealing with Ronnie Shaw, who was in charge of the Castle when their General was out. There was a radio on the control panel tuned to Radio Freedom, mostly for white noise but also because Proctor Ingram wanted to keep tabs on the Minutemen. She'd only been in contact with the Castle over ham radio a few times, mostly to let them know a foot patrol was going to be in the area doing a salvage run and not to open fire on them (again).

"I know it seems crazy to send a foot patrol after a wayward soldier, but she was close to Danse, and I want to make sure we weren't infiltrated a second time." Maxson said. "If that traitor Danse managed to talk her into leaving the Brotherhood for the Institute, we will have one hell of a security risk."

At least, that's what Maxson was telling himself and anyone who asked. When we woke up a few days ago, Nora wasn't beside him. He didn't realize his jacket was gone too until he got dressed and went to her new quarters, thinking she went to freshen up. A full sweep of the Prydwen, the airport, and the surrounding areas picked up nothing. Paladin Nora Howard was gone, and she took his battle coat with her.

Somewhere in the Commonwealth, there was a half-naked woman with no shoes on. Of course, in the Commonwealth, that probably wasn't a strange occurrence.

"You never told us what to do when or if we found her, Sir." The Initiate continued.

Elder Maxson, feeling a bit underdressed without his coat, only stroked his beard. "I want her brought here alive, is that understood? Rough her up a bit only if necessary, but try to get her back here using peaceful methods. I refuse to lose a good asset to the Institute. We already lost Danse. Get some rest, and resupply before you head out again."

Before the Initiate could ask for further instructions, Elder Maxson wandered toward the building site of Liberty Prime. Proctor Ingram was going over something on a clipboard and was only vaguely aware of Maxson stepping onto the control platform. "Well, you'll be happy to know we can finish the Liberty Prime project without Paladin Howard at this point. We still have some initial tests to run, as well as test driving the big guy, but everything should be ready whenever you give the command."

Elder Maxson nodded. Proctor Ingram put down her clipboard and stared at him. When the Scribe writing down computer readings finally left, the two were as alone as they could be. Maxson looked up as her, as she was taller than him and everyone else in the customized power armor frame. "Something to add, Proctor?" he asked, trying to distract himself by looking over a report on the dashboard.

"Well, unless you want to know when we last changed the oil in Prime's systems, that stack of papers won't be of any use to you." Proctor Ingram was probably the only soldier in the Brotherhood that wasn't in complete awe of Maxson. She didn't see him as Divine Incarnate or the Supreme Leader he was born and bred to be. She saw him as a young man taking on the world with the weather beaten experience most men don't gain until their late thirties. "Is something going on, Elder Maxson? If I may speak freely, it seems like there is more to this 'find Paladin Howard' deal than you're letting on. You've been down here on my tarmac for the last few days and don't get me wrong, it's an honor to have you supervising, but we both know you stick out down here like a sore thumb and you're just as helpful. You're avoiding something."

Maxson turned heel and started to leave. Something told Ingram to follow him. She passed her clipboard to an approaching Scribe and followed Elder Maxson toward the usually deserted supply depot. When they were alone, Elder Maxson let out a long sigh. "What I am about to say stays in the strictest of confidence. I wasn't going to tell anyone but I have to or it'll eat at me until I do. I spoke with Paladin Howard after she returned from her mission to deal with Danse. I offered her the Paladin rank, as well as…another more intimate title."

Ingram couldn't smack her forehead in her armor without giving herself a concussion. "You slept with her, didn't you?" she asked, flat out. Maxson's silence was her confirmation. She wished she could cross her arms without crushing her chest. Ingram sighed and tried to think of the best way to approach this delicate matter. "Well, that explains the 50 caps I found on my workbench a few mornings ago. It doesn't explain why you've been roaming around the tarmac like a bored feral ghoul, though. I figured the man that could seduce Paladin Howard would be strutting around with his chest puffed out. Truth be told, most of us figured it'd be Danse to get bragging rights for 'completing' that mission."

He didn't face Ingram, but he didn't deny anything, either. Elder Maxson had a look that reminded Ingram of a child getting caught doing something bad. "Yes, we shared an intimate meeting a few nights ago. We were celebrating her promotion with a few drinks and things took a very physical turn. When I woke up, she was gone. Along with my jacket."

Ingram chuckled a bit. "She never pegged me as the love 'em and leave 'em type. But it also sucks to have bragging rights and not being able to use them without spilling the beans of your own questionable moral transgressions." Ingram chuckled more but stopped when she saw the Elder's hang-dog look. "So, we've got a half-naked Paladin roaming the ruins of the city right now with sensitive Brotherhood information, but you don't want to tell the foot patrols that. I can see how they'd have trouble finding her, also with us being right smack dab in the middle of Minuteman territory-"

Before Proctor Ingram could finish her musing, the same Initiate from before ran into the depot, looking worried. "Elder Maxson! Proctor Ingram!" he shouted, saluting both Maxson and Ingram. "Sorry for the intrusion, but you might want to come out here. We might have a lead to where Paladin Howard has gone."

Ingram and Maxson hurried out to the tarmac, only to find a group of Scribes huddled in a circle, reading something. Some appeared to be holding papers. There was a clamor and commotion going on around the latest returning foot patrol. "What's going on here?" shouted Ingram. "I didn't tell any of you to take a break!"

One of the foot patrol, a young Scribe, saluted Proctor Ingram and Elder Maxson. "Sir, we just returned from a trading run in Diamond City. Earlier this afternoon, we were gearing up to leave the city when we saw a crowd around one of the buildings near the entrance. Some kind of periodical they sell there called 'Publick Occurrences'."

Elder Maxson waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, a rag paper from what I've heard. Owned and operated by someone named Piper Wright. Fancies herself a reporter, but in reality she's a nosy little nuisance just spreading gossip. We've had dealings with her before. Some of the soldiers stationed at the Cambridge outpost have had to escort her off the premises in the past, but she always came back. I gave the soldiers permission to shoot her on sight next time she came around again. She'd be a good asset to us if she wasn't so untrustworthy."

The Scribe only nodded. "Well, one of the other Scribes found their way to the front of the crowd and bought a few of the papers with the caps we had left, and this was the headline…" The Scribe sheepishly handed Maxson a copy of the paper the other Scribes were passing around. Maxson's eyes widened as the Scribe continued. "We're not sure how long it's been in circulation, but the little girl selling them out front was just raking in the caps. These were selling faster than anything I've ever seen that wasn't food or chems. When the crowd thinned out a bit, we asked the little girl where their source came from. She said she wasn't at liberty to name names, but when we saw on the paper that the source was an 'anonymous Paladin', we assumed it was the Paladin you said went missing. We confiscated all the copies she had, but she told us we couldn't stop the press and she'd have a fresh batch ready in a few hours, and…"

Maxson's face turning red was the Scribe's indication that he needed to stop talking and run away before something bad happened. Ingram cleared her throat and told everyone to get back to work and to give her any copies of Publick Occurrences that they had. Most of the Scribes ran off before anything could be confiscated. Ingram picked up one that had fallen on the ground during the rush and read the headline. It was a few pages long and stapled together like an old book.

 _ **Publick Occurrences Exclusive!**_

" _ **Knight of Passion! My Elder, My Lover!" by Piper Wright**_

 _ **An exclusive interview with a former high ranking soldier from the Brotherhood of Steel on what happened after she got her new rank.**_

 _ **Are they really a force to be reckoned with? Or is the Brotherhood just as corrupt as the rest of the Commonwealth?**_

 _ **Our anonymous source tells her story exclusively to Publick Occurrences of her night of passion aboard the Brotherhood's flying fortress, the Prydwen, with Elder Arthur Maxson!**_

 _ **What truly helps a soldier get a higher rank in the Brotherhood of Steel? Hard work or special favors for the Elder?**_

The rest of the article told, in horrifyingly accurate detail, every graphic moment he and Paladin Howard shared just a few nights ago. It went on like that for a few pages. It was a little embellished, but it was completely accurate down to the last detail. He could feel the female scribes undressing him with their eyes as they read a copy a few feet away. Ingram confiscated their paper and shooed them off, but she knew the damage had already been done. There was no telling how far this story had traveled and half the Commonwealth probably knew Elder Maxson's morally ambiguous transgressions by now.

Elder Maxson didn't say anything as he walked toward the depot again. Any soldier in his way knew to move. Everyone pretended to get back to work, even when there was nothing to do. Ingram was hoping he was going to find a nice quiet spot to calm his nerves and read the paper for more information.

In the middle of the supply depot, Elder Maxson took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. He needed to say this or he'd explode. "FFFFFF…."

It wasn't the wrench dropping and making a loud clanging sound that scared away the rad gulls and made everyone stop what they were doing. Proctor Ingram, who was in the middle of confiscating more papers, dropped her pile and stared in the direction of the supply depot. Everyone was looking that way. It was so loud, that everything afterward was completely quiet. Everyone from the Scribes, to Proctor Ingram, even to the mirelurks scuttling around outside the airport stopped and looked in the direction of the loud profanity.

No one had noticed the radio playing Radio Freedom had abruptly stopped playing music. Proctor Ingram was standing near the ham radio, still unsure of what just happened when a crackle came over.

" _This is Ronnie Shaw with the Commonwealth Minutemen at the Castle calling for Proctor Ingram of the Brotherhood at Boston Airport. Am I going senile or was that ungodly noise coming from you guys? Every damn soldier here stopped what they were doing and took up guns thinking the nukes were falling again. Do you and Elder Loverboy need Minutemen assistance over there?"_

* * *

 **Hi, hi! Long chapter is long, right?**

 **I actually didn't mean for it to be this long, to mood got the better of me haha. If my action scenes seem a little lacking, I apologize. Action scenes aren't really my forte, but if you think it was lacking, just let me know and I'll fix it to the best of my abilities.**

 **The next few chapters probably won't be this long. Normally, for me, really important chapters are the longest. The silly fun chapters are normally short for me. Of course, as long as some of my stories are, my definition of short is strange.**

 **So, we got the important stuff out of the way, ready to have some fun? The battle coat won't know what hit it. Well, we'll know though, right? In between the funny chapters, we'll have little chapters of Elder Maxson trying to find Nora and his coat while exploring leads and we'll get to see the other companions, too! Won't that be fun? So, where exactly is this coat going to go in its adventure across the Commonwealth? You'll just have to read and find out! Hell, it might make its way out to the Mojave if the mood strikes it!**

 **Now, you know the routine, right?**

 **Let me know how I did and I'll have the next chapter out in a jiffy! More reviews mean faster work! Yeah, that didn't sound like propaganda lol.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	3. The Paladin Danse Conspiracy

_The Battle Coat_

The Paladin Danse Conspiracy

"Are you sure you're not sick?" Piper asked, her arms folded.

Piper Wright was waiting for Nora Howard to finish vomiting behind a tree. What was supposed to be a half-day walk to the Castle was turning into a day and a half excursion. On Nora's request, the two were taking the long around Boston and they had already been sidetracked enough, helping a local settlement and fending off Gunners. It was time for the two to set up camp for the night, but Nora had been complaining of an upset stomach.

When Nora reemerged, looking like she had just vomited up lunch from two centuries ago, Piper ran to her. Piper was still wearing Maxson's big leather battle jacket and was starting to like it. She helped Nora to their little makeshift campsite under a powerline. It was mostly two sleeping bags and a campfire, but it was cozy all the same.

"Piper, next time I decide to grill up mirelurk meat from an already dead mirelurk, please talk me out of it." Nora moaned, wiping her mouth with her Vault suit sleeve. She plopped herself down on the log she and Piper were using as a chair. Dogmeat hadn't left his vigil by the fire, guarding it from any little night time bug or thief. Nora and Piper rarely had to worry about anything at night with Dogmeat around.

Nora watched as Piper slid the heavy coat off and laid it in between her and Nora. "I tried talking you out of it an hour ago, but you still did it." Piper laughed, picking up a stick and moving the fire about. "How are you holding up, Blue?"

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Nora asked, absently placing her hand on the coat. "I told you, I'm fine. I've cut my ties with the Brotherhood and Maxson. I'm not worried."

"If that's true, then why did you yank me and Dogmeat into that building when you saw that patrol?" Piper threw her stick into the fire and looked at Nora. Earlier that day, while rummaging through an old building looking for supplies, Piper had just found a mostly safe pack of cigarettes and was about to show Nora. When she turned around, Nora's face was almost completely white. Then Piper heard the sound of a Vertibird landing in a field nearby. They had barely got away unnoticed.

Nora sighed and looked up at the sky. "I'm sure by now, half the Commonwealth has read our little story in the paper." Nora chuckled sadly. "As fast as your sister was selling them. I have a good feeling Maxson isn't too pleased to see himself attached to one of the biggest, juiciest pieces of gossip the Commonwealth has ever seen."

Piper laughed loudly and reached into the backpack she and Nora carried to hold supplies. She pulled out a mostly cold beer and held it up to Nora. Nora politely refused it, deciding the morning the walked into Sanctuary half-naked not to drink alcohol for a while. Piper held up a bottle of water with "PURIFIED" written on tape attached to it. Nora happily took that and twisted the cap off. Nora still found nights in the Commonwealth strange. Before the war, lights from the city could be seen all the way in Sanctuary Hills. Now, it was nothing by starry darkness.

"With the caps from that story, we were able to afford those repairs to the printer we've been putting off since we found the damn thing." said Piper, leaning back to look at the sky. "It wasn't easy sneaking your guy, Kent, into Diamond City. But with those caps your story brought in, security just happened to be looking the other way."

With Sturges busy in Sanctuary, the only nearby repairman Piper and Nora trusted not to sabotage the printing press was Kent Connolly, a Ghoul living in Goodneighbor. After her stint as the Silver Shroud, Nora had grown quite fond of the comic book loving Ghoul. Each time she visited Goodneighbor, she'd check on him and bring him some random comic book memorabilia she'd come across. It wasn't hard putting Kent in a gas mask and putting gloves on him, but paying off the guards was starting to get expensive. Luckily, the repairs were simple compared to the loungers at the Memory Den, or so Kent said.

"I would have gotten Nick to do it if Ellie hadn't said he was out on a case." Piper continued. "But Kent did good work."

"That's why I suggested him. He's good at what he does." Nora took a sip and looked down at Dogmeat. "I'm glad to see he's recovered from all that's happened to him."

Piper knew how sentimental Nora could be, so she decided to change the subject. "I'm glad to see the whole Maxson thing isn't getting you down." Piper wasn't sure why she decided this was a good topic.

To her relief, Nora only shrugged. "It happened, I can't take it back, and I certainly am not returning to explain myself, or give back the coat."

"Still, being an Elder's wife must have some perks." Piper leaned forward and looked into the fire with a dreamy look. "Never had to do any actual work, people at your beck and call. Or maybe you'd just cook and clean and have kids."

Nora snorted. "Like it was before the war, then? That might be what Maxson had in mind. He'd be the High Elder, and I'd be the little Elder's Wife. Just sitting there, looking pretty for him, occasionally popping out a kid or two just to please the Elder's Council or whatever. It sounds more like breeding show dogs than an actual marriage."

"High Elder?" Piper asked, trying not to laugh at the show dogs comment. She had heard Nora say something about Maxson being in line to be High Elder of the entire Brotherhood of Steel, but Nora never elaborated.

"Some place out west called Lost Hills is apparently the home base of sorts for the entire Brotherhood of Steel. They have chapters all over the west and a few in the central United States. But here on the east, there is only two: the one in the Capitol Wasteland, which I assume is what used to be Washington, D.C., and here in the Commonwealth." Nora wasn't sure if all she said was correct. She'd mostly read the history on terminals and heard hearsay on the Prydwen.

Piper kept her eyes on the fire. "So, once whatever they had planned here is done, you were going to go back with him?"

Nora looked over at Piper and saw a worried look on her face. "No." Nora said, looking at the fire as well. "What he wanted and what I want are two completely different things. Even if I had stayed for awkward morning after pillow talk, I still probably would have left at some point."

"Then why didn't you do that instead of running away at top speed wearing only an oversized coat?" Piper gently picked up the jacket, but only looked at the insignia on the shoulder.

"I panicked." Nora answered simply. "Not about waking up naked next to a man with obvious delusions of grandeur and control issues. But something he said made me panic. Right before the 'nitty gritty' happened, he looked at me with this cold gaze and said _'You are mine, Lady Maxson'_. I don't think it was naughty pillow talk to get me in the mood. I think he meant it like he was claiming me as some sort of prize."

Piper chuckled a bit, thinking this was a joke. She stopped when she saw the scared look on Nora's face. "A prize…from what?" Piper leaned forward, with the coat wrapped on her knees for warmth.

Nora chuckled softly, though it was a sad titter of laughter. "Get this," Nora started, sitting closer to Piper and covering her own knees with some of the coat. "Maxson told me that when he saw me defending Danse after he followed us-"

"He followed you?!" Piper asked, wide-eyed.

Nora nodded. "He probably had some poor Initiate shadow me and report my location once I got to the bunker. But I heard rumors that they pay wastelanders and traders to be informants near settlements."

With a sputtering laugh, Piper couldn't get over how pathetic Elder Maxson was sounding by the second. "Oh, please, continue, Blue."

"Well, Maxson confessed that when I defended Danse, it felt more like I was leaving him for someone else than betraying the Brotherhood!" Nora didn't laugh, as she still couldn't believe it herself. "Piper, Elder Maxson has been in love with me this entire time and he saw Danse as his competition!"

Piper sputtered her laughter again and let it die down as she started thinking. "Hey, I just had a thought, Blue." Piper made sure they were alone and put another stick on the fire. "You say they told you Danse was an Institute Synth, right? I mean, I can believe that seeing as my printing press has more personality than the guy. But, if you're saying Maxson saw Danse as his competition for you, are you sure he didn't just make up that Synth stuff to get him out of the picture?"

Nora had never thought of that. She didn't want to believe Maxson was that petty. "As far as I know, only Ingram and Quinlan had access to the information I brought back from the Institute. Maxson said Quinlan brought the matter to his attention."

"But what if Maxson got to the information first during a five-minute break or something? I highly doubt anyone can stare at a computer screen non-stop without a break." Piper thought about what she just said and recanted her statement a bit. "Well, there was this one time I found a copy of RobCo fun with a Grognak game attached…"

"I don't think Maxson is that computer smart." Nora said. "He'd gain nothing labeling his best soldier as a Synth. Before the whole 'Danse is a Synth' debacle, everyone sung praises of him. To this day, even in exile, Danse eats, sleeps, breathes, and bleeds Brotherhood. If anything, he lost more than he gained."

"…until you." Piper muttered, stroking the fire with another stick.

"I'm not as impressive as Maxson wants to believe I am." Nora countered. "Most of my short career with the Brotherhood was riding Danse's coattails and remembering the stuff Nate told me from his time in the army and during the war. I dumb-lucked my way through a lot of missions, but truth be told, if Danse wasn't there I probably wouldn't have made it as far as I did. Sometimes, I regret stopping to listen to the distress signal they sent out looking for reinforcements. If I hadn't stopped to help them, if I hadn't agreed to help their recon team, if I hadn't returned after the Prydwen showed up." Nora exhaled and brought her knees closer to her chest, part of the coat still draped over them. "Maybe things would have turned out differently. They never would have found out Danse was a Synth and he'd still be with his team. Last time I went to check on him, he told me not to worry about it, that he was thankful to be alive, but he felt useless without the Brotherhood. I couldn't help but feel guilty."

"Is that why you sent him to The Castle and not Sanctuary?" Piper asked. Nora looked at Piper, as if she had just figured out Nora's biggest secret. "I know, Blue. I overheard you talking to Preston about the arrangement a few days before you came waltzing into Sanctuary half-naked. I remember Preston saying they could always use more experienced soldiers to train the new recruits but wasn't sure it was safe with the Prydwen being almost literally next door. I didn't write any of it down, because I know how much danger Danse and the Minutemen would be in if Maxson found out The Castle was harboring a wanted Synth."

Nora took another sip of her water and looked down at Dogmeat. He seemed content with sleeping next to the fire. Dogmeat was always alert, so seeing him relax and drift off to sleep meant it was safe for Nora and Piper to do the same soon. "I guess it wouldn't have mattered either way. Synth or not, Danse is in exile and since Maxson is pulling all the resources he has into this war with the Institute, he's not going to waste manpower making enemies with the Minutemen. Ronnie Shaw told me they have some kind of truce going on, mostly so one doesn't shoot the other when going through claimed territories."

Piper nodded, but wasn't really paying attention. She kept thinking about the Danse-Maxson Conspiracy angle. It was farfetched, but she could see it working. Piper knew she wasn't going to get Nora to help her investigate this angle, because all the proof was on the Prydwen. Nothing could make Nora willingly go back to the Prydwen.

"You said Maxson sounded more like a jealous lover than a commanding officer when he accused you of harboring a Synth." Piper said after a long silence. "And you also said the way he looked when he found you and Danse at that bunker was more like he'd just caught you two getting hot and heavy in a broom closet. A man like Maxson, with the resources at his disposal, will do anything to get what he wants. I'm just saying, Blue; sometimes, the most obvious answer is the correct one."

Nora shook her head. "It doesn't change the fact that, if this insane conspiracy theory of yours is correct, Maxson would have lost more than he gained in framing Danse. Danse is a one-man army. Soldiers from my time weren't half as loyal as he still is."

Deciding not to argue with Nora anymore, Piper only shrugged, but kept the thought in her mind. "So, where are we off to next, Blue?" She asked, cuddling a little closer to Nora's warmth under the jacket.

"I was thinking of heading back to Goodneighbor." Nora said. "I couldn't find the right components to recreate the jacket in Diamond City, but maybe Kent knows where we can find some good ballistic material. I mean, he did make that nifty costume into some good armor."

Piper smiled. "You check on him so much, you should just invite him to live in Sanctuary."

"Irma would never let me." Nora laughed. "She won't admit it, but she likes having Kent there. Not just because he fixes her loungers. Besides, I want to see Hancock. I didn't get a chance to see him when he went to get Kent to fix your printing press."

"I'm sure Hancock is floating around there, still. We should probably head toward the Castle at some point, too. I bet the Minutemen miss their general. I want to get some more info for that Minuteman story I've got going. Plus, it'd be nice to see how Danse is settling in." Piper threw one more log on the fire before retreating back into the relative warmth of the coat. "Either Maxson purposely wanted this thing oversized, or he is really massive if both of us can fit under this thing."

"Muscles for days." Nora muttered, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Well, you would know, Blue." Piper snorted with mock jealousy.

Nora snorted back and buried her face into what she was sure wasn't actually wool on the coat. "Yeah, you're right, though. Maybe we should head to the Castle once we're done in Goodneighbor. It's a few days walk in the opposite direction, but if we stick to the roads, it might just be a day or so trip."

It was quiet for a bit. Piper leaned against Nora, soaking in more warmth from the jacket. Piper smiled when Nora leaned against her in return. "Lady Nora Maxson. Kind of has a nice ring to it." Piper muttered.

Nora rolled her eyes and stared at the fire for a few more minutes. The two women started drifting off to sleep, but neither went to their respective sleeping bags. Nora liked Piper's company most out of all the human friends she had made. She appreciated Piper's honestly and it was nice knowing at least one person was bringing the truth to the Commonwealth.

The fire crackled a little more and the two women eventually drifted off to sleep, leaning against each other under the warmth of the massive coat.

* * *

 **Hi, hi!**

 **So, pointless chapter is pointless, right?**

 **There are many theories about Paladin Danse and him being a Synth. It's never explained in game how a Synth became a decorated Brotherhood Soldier. One theory that actually makes the most sense is that he escaped the Institute, found the Railroad, and after a memory wipe they smuggled him out of the Commonwealth and to one of their contacts in the Capital Wasteland. It was only by some huge twist of fate that he ended up joining the Brotherhood and making his way back up to the Commonwealth.**

 **I know you find a Synth Component on Danse if you choose to kill him (you monster), but I sometimes like to fiddle with the theory that Danse was set up by someone in the Brotherhood to get him out of the way. We'll be exploring both theories during the story.**

 **Next chapter: Hancock's turn with the jacket.**

 **So, how did I do today? Let me know in a review so we can keep this crazy train going! And don't forget to follow me on Tumblr for updates and odd little ramblings. Fun!**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	4. Jackets for the People

_T he Battle Coat_

Jackets for the People

Nights at The Third Rail in Goodneighbor could get pretty somber. The drinks were so watered down they were almost completely water. The lights were dim and flickered every so often. The Mr. Handy behind the makeshift bar, Whitechapel Charlie, served drinks and provided the latest gossip to whoever paid the right price. Tonight, the latest Commonwealth gossip came in the form of a newspaper that everyone had read at least a thousand times.

Publick Occurrences, a newspaper of sorts written by Piper Wright, was popular in Goodneighbor. John Hancock, the Ghoul mayor, liked how gritty and truthful it was. He just wasn't convinced it sell that well in Goodneighbor were caps were in short supply unless one had a sharp bowie knife. Piper had been trying to work out a deal with Daisy to sell the papers, but she often only picked up a few copies for the few people in Goodneighbor that could read.

This latest copy, however, seemed to be proving her and Handcock wrong. Every copy that Daisy could get her hands on flew right off her shelves less than a minute later. Daisy hadn't had a chance to read the story, because her own copy would disappear whenever her back was turned. Usually, whatever story Piper cooked up would die off in a week or so. This one, however, seemed to be staying.

No one had bought Piper and Nora drinks at the bar before. But tonight, whatever counted as beer in Goodneighbor kept finding itself in front of both women without either having to spend a single cap. Tonight, while Magnolia was singing a soft crooner at the small stage, Piper and Nora sat in the back room with another of the bar's regulars, MacCready and the good mayor himself, John Hancock. Piper had been recounting a tale to the men on why they showed up in Goodneighbor looking like they just lost a fight with a group of mirelurks. Piper insisted they didn't lose.

"…and then that Mirelurk King jumped us out of nowhere!" Piper exclaimed, raising her hands up like claws. Her exclamation woke up Dogmeat, who had been napping under their table.

Robert Joseph MacCready, or R.J. or just MacCready, picked up his beer and laughed. The beer was actually Nora's, but she hadn't been drinking much lately. Nora's attention was on a big leather jacket that MacCready noticed right away when they stumbled into his backroom at the Third Rail.

"…and a few lucky potshots later, you two come stumbling into Goodneighbor." MacCready finished the story for Piper and sipped his beer. Piper shushed, knowing he was more or less right. Piper and Nora weren't expecting to find Mirelurks so far into the city, but a rather large group of them ambushed the two women and their dog a few blocks from Goodneighbor. It was the fight with the Mirelurk King that seemed to tip the scale from "Let's fight!" to "Let's run!". Nora had gotten a few good shots in before Piper grabbed her arm and told her to run. The Mirelurk King had other plans, apparently.

Nora had been wearing the thick leather jacket at the time of the fight. When she and Piper decided not to chance an encounter with a Mirelurk King, they made a run for it. The Mirelurk King grabbed Nora's coat arm and gave it a good tug, ripping the jacket arm at the shoulder seam. A close shot to the eye made it let go and gave them a chance to run.

Now, Nora had the jacket on her lap but the insignia sleeve on the table. Hancock, who had been smoking a cigarette and just listening, looked over at the jacket every now and then. Though Nora remained nameless in the article, Hancock knew it was her the story talked about. Hancock was many things, most of them had to do with chems, but he wasn't stupid. He was waiting for the right moment to begin his teasing, but found himself admiring the jacket.

"I have no idea how I'm going to repair this." Nora muttered, putting her arm through the sleeve. "The leather is very thick and this is beyond my already limited sewing abilities."

"Why not just take it to Kent?" MacCready asked, putting his beer down. "He's good at fixing stuff. He repaired my gun the other day. Shoots better now than when I bashed that Gunner over the head with a board and stole it from him."

MacCready, a former Gunner mercenary turned free-lance, claimed he was trying to clean up his act. But Nora and Piper, and especially Hancock, knew that old habits die hard. He picked up the sleeve Nora put back on the table and looked it over. He had never seen material like this before. MacCready guessed it was some kind of high-caliber ballistic material masked with some other kind of soft, comfortable fabric under the rough leather. He imagined a coat like that would make sniping jobs in the upcoming winter a lot easier. MacCready wasn't a fan of how bulky it looked, though.

"That's what we were planning before one of your good mayor and his citizens ushered us into the Third Rail and started buying us drinks." Nora laughed as MacCready handed her the sleeve back. "I'm guessing Piper's exclusive was popular here."

Hancock took a puff from his cigarette and looked over at Nora. "Popular is one word for it." He muttered. Hancock had the signature Ghoul rasp that was under toned by his melodious, calm way of speaking. Nora hadn't known Hancock for as long as she knew Piper, or as well, but she had never known Hancock to get overly emotional at much. He had an easygoing way of looking at life, but wasn't shy about raising his gun in the name of freedom. "It's got half the Commonwealth in a tizzy. When those Brotherhood goons came waltzing into the Commonwealth on their big floating fortress, they had some convinced they'd be these 'Great Protectors' that would pick up where the Minutemen left off. But with the Minutemen back in business and this little slice of erotica floating around, the people are starting to see the Brotherhood and its leader for what it really is: just as slimy and corrupt as the rest of us."

Nora leaned back in her chair, gripping the sleeve tightly. She was starting to regret agreeing to the story. Even Nora should have seen how overblown it would get. She figured people would read it, get a few laughs and a few jollies out of it, and move on to the next thing. Nora realized more than she thought had changed since being frozen over 200 years ago. Without television, the looming threat of Communism, and mass consumerism to distract them, the citizens of the new Commonwealth had more time to contemplate how screwed up the world actually was.

"Well, in any event, it's done." said Nora, draping the coat and the sleeve over her arm. "I've got to get to Kent before it gets too late. You coming, Piper?"

Piper stood up, but wobbled a bit. She had drunk the majority of the beers bought for the two but she was still okay to walk. Unlike Nora, Piper wasn't a lightweight when it came to drinking. She could pack a few in before completely losing consciousness. In the Sanctuary drinking contests, Piper was normally fifth place. Piper and Dogmeat followed behind Nora out of MacCready's back room. Ignoring the hooting, cheering and the offers for drinks, the two women finally made it out of there.

Picking up a half-finished beer, Hancock put one foot up on the table and leaned back in his chair. "That story of theirs is going to get them into some deep shit." He moaned, placing the beer bottle to his lips but not drinking any. "The Brotherhood of Steel may be glorified boy scouts, but they are pretty protective of their name and their leader."

MacCready nodded in agreement. "Piper has plucked a few hairs before when it came to powerful people, but I don't think even she can talk her way out of this one when some power armored soldiers come knocking on her door."

"Piper isn't the one I'm worried about." Hancock said, putting the beer down. "Believe it or not, Miss Wright as crawled out of worse situations with barely a bruise to show for it. It's our dear Vault Girl I'm worried about. Nora has picked herself up from a lot in the time she's been out of that vault, but she's picked a fight against some very powerful people. And I don't just mean the Institute."

MacCready was familiar with the Brotherhood of Steel. In the Capitol Wasteland, they were, and to his knowledge still are, a big military force. In barely ten years, they grew from a small dispatch of soldiers to what could be considered an actual military presence. He had heard some of his old friends that went to Big Town had joined up when some soldiers came by singing a pretty song about making the Capital Wasteland a better place or some other such nonsense. MacCready never bought into it, but some of the others did. He often wondered if someone had tipped the Brotherhood off about Big Town and the young adults said to inhabit it. Young adults would be the best candidates to be soldiers: easily impressed, easy to train, and in MacCready's opinion, easy to brainwash.

"She can handle herself." MacCready said, leaning back. "If Maxson comes a-knocking, she can just show him the goods while Piper makes a quick exit to come get us. A few well-placed bullets and those tin soldiers go down like a sack of bricks. And without his fancy coat protecting him, Maxson is no different."

Both men laughed and clinked their beers together. Hancock could hear Magnolia dedicating a song to someone and then the music starting back up. "I've read that story at least a dozen times." Hancock admitted, though looking to make sure no one else was listening. "Piper went into some good detail, though that was more about Maxson's junk than I wanted to know. I guess a long coat would be a convenient hiding tool for when the 'second-in-command' wants to give the occasional unintentional salute. I mean, have you seen how tight those Brotherhood flight suits are? I'm surprised the guy isn't sporting a 24-hour woody."

"It's a nice coat, though." MacCready said, finishing his beer and not wanting to talk about Elder Maxson's junk anymore. "I guess only the best for the heir to the Maxson throne."

Hancock had no idea what MacCready was talking about, but only shrugged because he didn't really care. "You know, I've heard of girls taking a guy's t-shirt in the morning, but an entire leather battle coat? Nora always seems to go above and beyond." Hancock looked like he was contemplating something. "It's a nice, nice coat."

MacCready didn't like the look Hancock was getting. It was the _I see something I want and I'm going to take it_ look. "Hancock, I know what you're thinking. Don't do it."

Getting up and stretching, Hancock only smiled. His Ghoulish smile always gave MacCready the creeps. "Why, Robert Joseph MacCready, I have no idea what you're talking about, and quite frankly I'm insulted you'd think I was up to no good."

"It's normally the safest bet around here." MacCready chuckled.

Hancock had to give MacCready that. He straightened his coat and tipped his tri-corner hat a bit. "Always play the odds. Well, if you must pry, I'm certainly not going over to the Rexford Hotel to sweet talk that coat out of Nora's hands. That'd be ungentlemanly of me. Buy yourself another beer and have Charlie put it on my tab. I'm going out."

"Where?" MacCready asked.

"To do…mayor stuff." Hancock answered, leaving MacCready there to ponder the beer.

Hancock left the bar, wobbling as he did. Nights in Goodneighbor were surprisingly calm. Most of the citizens found their way to the Third Rail bar after their work was done. One thing Hancock liked about this town was it was only light enough to make out the roads but too dark to make out the faces of people at night. Goodneighbor was a good place to be if one was laying low or in debt to the wrong people. Hancock had heard all kinds of stories from wastelanders coming in from the chaos of downtown Boston. He was standing in what he called his courtyard, though it was really just an open area outside his mayoral home/office with two benches, when he heard some unfamiliar voices. He figured he knew what everyone in this town sounded like by now.

Lighting a cigarette, Hancock made his way to the alley that led to the entrance of Goodneighbor. When Nora and Piper arrived earlier that evening, before being escorted to the Third Rail by Hancock himself, she asked him a favor. The favor was that if anyone, particularly anyone affiliated with the Brotherhood of Steel, came looking for them, to deny their presence. Hancock told the lookouts to send away any Brotherhood soldiers that come by.

At the entrance, Hancock saw two people in orange flight suits asking the drifters some questions. It seems Nora knew the Brotherhood would eventually be on her tail. The town lookouts usually didn't bother to patrol the entrance and Hancock made a mental note to remember to change that. Luckily, his faithful bodyguard, Fahrenheit, was already assessing the situation.

By herself, Fahrenheit didn't look too imposing, but the good people of Goodneighbor knew not to get on her bad side. It was that unassuming just-another-wastelander look that normally gave her an upper hand and left her foes choking on their words, and blood. When Fahrenheit took out her minigun, that was normally a sign that one needed to run. Tonight, Fahrenheit wasn't packing her minigun. Her cool way with words normally got the point across. Hancock watched from the shadow of the alley, to make sure she didn't need his help.

"Look," said one of the soldiers, holding up Piper's article. "We know she frequents this…settlement. We're not asking you to turn her over, we just want information."

"And we said we don't have any." said one drifter.

The one holding up the article sighed inwardly. "We're willing to pay for any information regarding the location of the Brotherhood soldier in this article. She's missing and as a high-ranking officer, she had sensitive Brotherhood information. We just want to make sure she's safe and not a prisoner of the Institute."

"Why must you badger these nice people?" Fahrenheit asked, after staying quiet. "He said he didn't have any information, so why bother him?"

The Brotherhood solider was about to say something but decided not to. She walked over to Fahrenheit and held the article up, looking as if she was rethinking her words carefully. "We're looking for the soldier mentioned in this article."

"Elder Maxson resides on the Prydwen, I think." Fahrenheit chuckled.

The solider looked like she was losing her patience. "No, we are looking for Paladin Nora Howard. She's gone missing-"

"You know," Hancock said, making his presence known. "…if she didn't want to stay around for pillow talk, that's her business. Maybe your precious God-King should be better at cuddling."

The Soldiers turned to Hancock with scowls. "The obvious LIES in this article seem to have the Commonwealth fooled. Elder Arthur Maxson is a great man and would never fraternize in such a manner with one of his own commanding officers."

Hancock tried not to laugh. The drifters nearby couldn't help but laugh. "Even a god has to get his jollies off now and then, sister. He ain't no more high and mighty than the rest of us. The name's Hancock and I run this little freak show. We don't want any trouble, you hear me? Goodneighbor is of the people, for the people. You're welcome to stay and grab some drinks and supplies, but don't hassle my citizens. If they don't want to talk to you, they don't have to. But don't mistake that as disrespect for the uniforms, though. Hell, I've got a ton of respect for a man who can satisfy a woman as persnickety as our lovely Vault Dweller. I get it, the man's heartbroken. We've all been there, but that's no reason to send his goons to hassle the public. Tell you what; run back to your flying castle and tell Ol' Artie if he ever decides to go Ghoul, Mayor Hancock can recommend some fine looking Ghoulettes. I know Daisy particularly liked the article and might give him a chance. Though, I think she's out of Maxson's league."

Daisy, the Ghoul shopkeeper who had been closing up her shop when the soldiers started interrogating her customers, was leaning against the stone barrier. She didn't try to pretend she wasn't listening to the commotion Hancock was causing. "Not a chance. Besides, I'm saving myself for you, Hancock." Daisy winked with a laugh.

"You're sweet, Daisy." Hancock laughed back. "There are probably better choices, but it's still sweet."

The soldiers looked at each other, not believing this Ghoul would have the audacity to talk to them this way. The other soldier stepped up to Hancock and put his index finger in his face. "Listen here, brain eater-"

"-the name's Hancock, crew-cut!" Hancock interrupted, grabbing the man's index finger and twisting it. Hancock used this leverage to twist the man's arm back and subdue him. The soldier winced in pain and struggled to get free. Hancock rarely talked in anything but his smooth, calm voice and tried to avoid violence to the best of his limited abilities in anger management. But Hancock was known to have a mean streak. Hancock let go of the soldier's arm and shoved him toward the other soldier with his foot. "Ain't no zombies 'round here. Just Ghouls and human rejects looking for some peace and quiet. Now, you've stated your business, so let me state mine: Goodneighbor is of the people, for the people, which sadly you fall under that category somehow. We're a peaceful settlement, but we'll defend ourselves if we have to. So, either stay for a drink or get the hell out. And unless they don't teach math in the Brotherhood, you'll notice you're sorely outnumbered here."

The soldiers looked around at the crowd the commotion had caused. Some of the crowd were reaching for hidden guns. The soldiers took the better part of valor and started to leave. "This isn't over, Ghoul." The female soldier shouted. "Elder Maxson will hear about this."

"I'm sure Maxson would love to hear how one of his little pawns got bested by a Ghoul." Fahrenheit said, as the soldiers left.

Hancock watched the female soldier closely and wrapped his coat closer around the midsection. Before Fahrenheit could say anything, Hancock turned to her. "Keep an eye on the front gate tonight. I have to go run an errand at the Rexford. Come get me if those two return."

Fahrenheit nodded and watched Hancock fast-walk down the alley. Hancock was hoping Nora and Piper hadn't settled into the Rexford yet and made his way inside once he got there. Luckily for him, they were sitting on a couch in the lobby. When Hancock strode in, they knew something was up.

Kent Connolly, the resident handyman and comic book enthusiast, was making his way to the Rexford with some bad news for Nora. Everyone called her Nora, but he still referred to her as the Silver Shroud, or just Shroud for short. Kent rarely left his room at the Memory Den unless it was for a job or a drink at the Third Rail. Or that one time a few days ago when Nora and Piper swooped into his room, decked him out in gloves and a gas mask, and escorted him to Diamond City to do a repair job on Piper's printing press. But ever since his near-death experience at the hands of Sinjin, Kent made it a habit to go out more and more each day. He decided to start off slow, just making extra trips to visit his friends around Goodneighbor more often. Then, once he's built enough confidence and saved up for a good weapon, Kent decided he'd travel around the Commonwealth again. If he could convince Irma to let him leave, anyway.

The doors to the Rexford Hotel opened just as Kent was reaching for the handle. Nora, Piper, and Hancock made their way out. "Oh, Shroud!" Kent shouted, stepping back. "I d-didn't think you'd be leaving so soon." Kent stepped back some more, giving himself some space from the trio.

"Something has come up, Kent." Nora said.

Kent swallowed hard and tried to find the best way to tell her the news. "I was coming by to tell you that I won't be able to finish the repairs on the j-jacket for another few days. The material requires specialized ballistic fiber that I've never seen before. I might be able to recreate it using regular cloth and ballistic fiber from other old military uniforms, but it'll take me a few days to get the materials and a f-few more to complete the repair."

"We don't have a few days to wait." Piper said, gripping the strap on their pack tightly. "Maxson's goons are hounding around here and we have to take the back way out to avoid them."

"Sorry, Miss Wright, but Daisy's caravans only go so fast." Kent shrugged apologetically. "And if the Br-Brotherhood of Steel is hanging around, it might take more time. They've been known to stop caravans and do searches."

Nora sighed, knowing there was little that could be done. "Alright, Kent." She said, her voice motherly and understanding. "It's not a huge priority, but get it done when you can. I'll pay you for the time and materials, but if any Brotherhood soldiers come by, hide the jacket. I don't want them to know I was here and I don't want to put you in any danger."

Before Kent could say anything, Hancock grabbed him by the shoulder and brought him in for a quick side-hug. "Don't worry, ladies; I'll keep an eye on Kenny-boy here. Just come back in a few days when the heat dies down and your coat will be as good as new. If Kent Connolly can't repair it, no one can."

Nora, Piper, and Dogmeat looked at each other, knowing Hancock was up to something. Deciding they didn't have time to find out what, Nora led Piper and Dogmeat down an alleyway behind the Rexford, where Hancock said there was another way out of Goodneighbor.

Once Kent was sure they were gone, he released himself from Hancock's grasp. "Alright, Mayor Hancock. What do you want?" he asked.

"Kent, I'm hurt." Hancock said, straightening his coat with mock sadness.

Kent crossed his arms. "Mayor Hancock, I m-might be many things, but I like to th-think I'm too smart for your tricks."

"Alright, I'll level with you. Nora's jacket-"

"F-Forget it." Kent said, not backing down. "I'm not selling you Shroud's jacket."

"No, you misunderstand me, Kent. I just want to borrow it for a bit. Get a feel for it. Get inside the head of a fascist dictator." Hancock laughed, but Kent didn't find it so funny.

Kent sighed, and relented. "Well, I do need s-someone to act as dummy. Irma won't let me keep mannequins in my room anymore. Not since-"

Hancock stopped Kent before he could continue the sentence. "Let's…just get over to the Memory Den before you decide to finish that story."

Kent's room changed somewhat over the past few months since his capture and rescue. The posters were still there, and his little make-shirt radio station still stayed on the little table near his bed. He had some pictures on the table and the room looked cleaner, now. Hancock never realized how being kidnapped and nearly dying could save a man's life. The jacket in question was laid across Kent's bed with the sleeve slung over the railing.

Though he wasn't sure why he did it, Hancock opened a cabinet and looked around for something to eat, drink, or inhale. Of course, the cabinet was empty. "Sorry to disappoint you, Mayor Hancock, but you won't find any chems in there. I don't use the st-stuff. And I eat with Irma and Doc Amari."

Hancock was intrigued by the strange little family unit Kent, Irma, and Dr. Amari made up for themselves in the Memory Den. Hancock shrugged, deciding he was in no position to judge anyone, and closed the cabinet doors. Hancock noticed Kent kept two copies of Publick Occurrences on his bedside table. One was the article Piper did when Kent was saved by The Silver Shroud, which included an "exclusive" interview with the Shroud herself and commentary from Kent, and the now-famous article that recently put Piper and Nora on the Brotherhood of Steel's "Missing" and "Wanted for Questioning" lists.

"Been readin', Kent?" Hancock asked, mostly to dispel the awkward silence.

"I grabbed one of the copies Daisy had before she sold out. I wanted to see what all the hub-bub was about. Miss Wright is a hell of a wr-writer." Kent turned away, not wanting Hancock to see the embarrassed look on his face.

Hancock picked up the coat in question and slowly slid off his own red jacket. Kent wasn't paying attention when Hancock slid the battle coat on. Despite missing an arm, Hancock liked the feel of the thick leather jacket and went to the mirror to get a better look. "Well, hello there, Mr. Mayor." Hancock swooned, twirling himself around.

"Don't get too comfortable in that thing, Mayor Hancock." Kent said, opening an old cardboard box and going through his supplies. "As s-soon as Daisy's caravans come through with the rest of my supplies, I'm getting started on the repair job."

Hancock, still not listening, admired the one-armed look of the jacket. "I think the missing arm adds character. Gives me a kind of lawless wasteland kingpin look."

"You _are_ a lawless wasteland kingpin." Kent retorted.

"True, but the ripped off arm makes it look like I am ready for battle. You think you can make me some armor just for the right arm?" Hancock shot himself a wink and two finger pistols in the mirror.

"I'll get right on it when you come back from Mars." Kent joked. His snappy comebacks were getting better with his confidence.

"After I get my jet, I'll be there tonight." Hancock smiled and started to leave.

"Mayor Hancock!" Kent stood up, almost knocking over his box. "Wh-where are you going? You're still wearing Shroud's jacket!"

"You said you won't be able to repair it for another few days, and since Nora won't be back for a while, I think I'll hang on to it. Keep the sleeve as a deposit." Hancock left before Kent could protest anymore. Kent crossed his arms and sat back down. Hancock was a troublemaker, but he was good to his word most of the time.

Hancock's strut as he left the Memory Den was a little more pronounced than it usually was. Something about the jacket, despite having a sleeve missing, gave Hancock a sense of unearned pride. He imagined this must have been what Elder Maxson felt like all the time. Hancock wasn't sure if he liked the feeling. But Hancock was a patient Ghoul; he figured once the stick of authority became diluted with the stink of freedom and bloodshed, the coat would start to feel just like home.

Fahrenheit was standing outside the Third Rail when Hancock came strutting toward her. "I like the new garb. The missing arm has lawless wasteland kingpin written all over it."

Hancock smiled. "It's on loan from the Overcompensating Dictator Collection."

Fahrenheit followed Hancock inside, where she was certain he wanted to show off his new look. "Those Brotherhood pawns haven't returned. I put two lookouts by the front gate. I told them we'd be at the Third Rail in case they came back."

"Good call. I told Nora and Piper to take the backway out of Goodneighbor." Hancock stopped on the landing before the second set of stairs. "Nora has gotten herself into some crazy situations, but this one might not end in her favor. The need for physical pleasure has driven people to do crazier stuff, I know, but this is the Brotherhood of Steel we're talking about. If what MacCready told me is correct, and he has yet to disappoint me, the Brotherhood normally gets what it wants in the end. Be it resources, technology…or people."

"So, it would be in our best interests to keep Vault Girl and her little sidekick safe?" Fahrenheit asked.

"The Brotherhood of Steel say they want peace, but if they are scouring the entire Commonwealth for one woman, it just shows what they are willing to do to further their own means." Hancock crossed his arms and looked down at his boots. "We protect our own, Fahrenheit."

"As it has always been." Fahrenheit stopped to listen to a slow crooner Magnolia was starting. "But having the Brotherhood of Steel as enemies wouldn't be in our best interests, either."

"True." Hancock looked up at Fahrenheit. "But they won't do anything stupid until Elder Love-Machine gives the order, and ain't nobody flying the Brotherhood banner in Goodneighbor any time soon. At least not while I'm still alive and kickin'. After Piper's article and their stance on all us atomic rejects, Artie can't afford to have the Commonwealth up in arms against him. Human, Ghoul, or Synth."

The two decided to continue the conversation later, when other patrons came through the door. Hancock wasn't too concerned for the citizens of Goodneighbor, should the Brotherhood come knocking. Unlike the pampered tools over in Diamond City, Goodneighbor's happy rejects could take care of themselves in a scrap. Still, he didn't want the Brotherhood or any other faction gaining power in the Commonwealth to think they could waltz in and start pushing people around. But the thought of bringing a war here didn't sit well with Hancock, no matter how he looked at it. He'd never turn Nora and Piper over the Maxson, but he wasn't so sure about everyone else in Goodneighbor.

Hancock and Fahrenheit sat in their usual spot, the corner chairs near the stage, and pretended to be less concerned than they actually were. Magnolia's crooner echoed off the subway-turned-watering hole's walls, welcoming the downtrodden, the rejected, the stone broke, and the cold-blooded in for a drink.

* * *

 **Hi, hi! Luna Peachie here again!**

 **I'm going away this weekend so I won't be working on my fics. So, I decided to do some double time and get this one out to you so won't have to wait all weekend. The next chapter is already in the works, so don't worry! I'm going to try and keep this fic on a regular update basis, so keep those reviews coming!**

 **If you guys have read my other Fallout 4 fic, Silver Lining, you've probably guessed these two stories are related in some way. Well, you're right. I had the idea for this story before I had the idea for Silver Lining. So, technically Silver Lining is a spin-off of this story. I found myself being so engrossed with the story I had for Kent Connolly in my head that I ended up doing that one first.**

 **For those wanting to know what happened after Silver Lining ended, keep an eye on this fic. You'll find out in a few chapters.**

 **Despite my little crush on Danse, Piper is normally my go-to companion when I'm not trying to rake up affinity points. I don't know what it is, I just like having her along for the ride. So, of course, in my own head canon, Nora and Piper are pretty much best friends and tell each other anything. Though, Nora is careful about how much information she gives. Well, most of the time anyway haha.**

 **Next chapter: We go check in with Elder Maxson. See how he's holding up. *SPOILER ALERT* It's not well.**

 **So, how did I do? Let me know in a review. More reviews mean I get chapters out faster, which means when the weekend is over and I return from my trip, there could be a piping hot chapter ready by Tuesday!**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout 4 belongs to Bethesda.**


	5. Wishful Thinking

_The Battle Coat_

Wishful Thinking

Elder Maxson wasn't too happy the tall stack of paperwork that had accumulated on his desk in the past week. It wasn't tantalizing when it started as a small pile of papers and it looked less appealing now. Scouting reports, maintenance supply requests, leave request forms, and the like were barely touched, merely glanced at, or ignored all together. Despite this stack being almost a week old and gathering a nice layer of dust, Maxson's concentration was on the most recent report from a special scouting squad he appointed.

This scouting squad was made up of initiates looking for a leg up and people Maxson needed out of his hair so he could get some peace and quiet. While officially they were "scouting for potential information regarding infiltration of the Brotherhood", their real mission was to seek out information regarding a certain AWOL Paladin. So far, their latest report was the same as the last report. Nothing substantial in the settlements marked as hotspots for activity and uncooperative locals made the mission more difficult.

This time around, the scouts had gone to a settlement within the ruined city called Goodneighbor. They didn't bring back anything substantial, which didn't surprise Maxson. From what he was told, Goodneighbor was a run-down, seedy place made mostly of Ghouls and other Diamond City rejects. It was dark, being situated between old buildings and allies, but somehow the people made a living there. It was ruled, though the term was used loosely, by a Ghoul going by the name of John Hancock. Reports said it was believed to be an alias of some kind. Attempts by the Brotherhood to get information from him or his denizens had failed on multiple occasions. Usually ended with the scouts getting hassled, shot at, kicked out, or drunk. Usually the last two in no particular order.

They were called back into the fold and the special team temporarily disbanded. The Brotherhood didn't have time for an all-out manhunt and they needed soldiers back pronto. Feeling aggravated, Maxson tossed it in the ever-growing pile on the other side of his terminal and reached for a bottle from another growing collection of his. Maxson opened the bottle and sniffed its contents. It was either bourbon or motor oil, but decided to chance it anyway. He was happy when the contents poured into the glass looked like bourbon.

The terminal said it was close to midnight, but sleep was not Arthur Maxson's friend lately. Most of the reports he'd been skimming lately had to do with the Institute, it's activities, and the scant information on a group known as The Railroad. There was one report he was looking forward to that he knew wasn't in either pile. He couldn't devote an entire search mission for it again, as he needed every available man getting ready for any assault on the Institute. He had simply told any recon team that if they had heard where Paladin Nora Howard went, to contact him immediately.

On paper, Paladin Nora Howard was absent without leave and wanted for questioning. But in Maxson's mind, she was confused and their little tryst only made things worse. Maxson admitted that his "second in command" had been giving the orders that night, but his heart followed them to the letter. If he hadn't pushed her, or maybe if he had taken a more delicate approach, then maybe…

Now was not the time for what-ifs and maybes. Maxson needed to concentrate on the matter at hand. There was an AWOL Paladin roaming around the Commonwealth with sensitive information, as well as his jacket and his heart. He wanted both very badly right now, as his room was cold in more ways than one.

Maxson took a quick swig from his cup and gasped, slamming it back down on the desk. The noise echoed throughout his room. He poured himself some more. He tried to forget about the morning after their tryst but it just made him want her more. He didn't want to open his eyes, because he was scared it was a dream. The night had been quite satisfactory. At least, to him it was. When he woke up the morning after expecting her to be cradled in his arms, he was shocked and disappointed. He got even more shock when he found her gone from the entire ship.

Elder Maxson leaned back in his chair, holding the glass of bourbon close to his chest. He put the glass down after a while and straightened out his outfit. In lieu of his missing jacket, Elder Maxson had taken to wearing a standard issue bomber jacket over his uniform. After seeing almost every soldier at the airport pay Proctor Ingram 50 caps and learning why, he also no longer went commando under his uniform.

Deciding he needed to get away from this terminal before he went crazy, Maxson stood up and stretched. He grabbed the glass of bourbon, downed it in one gulp, and decided to do an impromptu inspection of the ship. It was mostly night watch patrols and Proctor Quinlan walking around at this time of night, so at least he'd have someone to talk to.

With the quiet of night, Maxson could hear everything aboard the Prydwen. His footsteps echoed as he made his way down the metal hallway. A man-made miracle, the Prydwen was something Maxson could be proud of. It took six years total to build this massive beast, but he figured it would have taken less time if there weren't so many internal squabbles after Elder Lyons died.

If everything went as planned, when the Brotherhood was done with the Institute and established a proper chapter in the Commonwealth, Maxson was set to take the Prydwen back to the Capitol and eventually steer that puppy all the way back to Lost Hills. But the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

The Elders on the West Coast were running out of patience for the young Elder. At least once a month, Elder Maxson got a message from the Elder's Council. It normally took about a month for him to get any kind of correspondence from the West Coast. Each time, the long lines of unimportant reports from their own front lines and drama within the chapters in the desert normally equated to one simple phrase: "Quit trying to buy time and accept your destiny!"

The one monkey wrench in Elder Maxson's fool proof plan was that he was missing a key factor: a suitable wife. It was made perfectly clear that if Maxson returned to Lost Hills without a wife, the Elder's Council would choose one for him. That thought terrified Maxson to his bones. He knew what their idea of "suitable" was. The idea of being married to some fanatical Maxson groupie without a single independent thought and siring children with such a woman gave Maxson chills down his spine.

 _No…_ he thought, putting his gloved hand on the cold metal hallway wall. _It won't come to that. I've already chosen my wife._

Maxson's thoughts kept going back to the night he had confronted her and Danse. Not the confrontation itself, though. He remembered having then-Knight Howard followed by a scout, and he remembered having his Vertibird prepped when the scout radioed her position. The Vertibird ride itself probably shouldn't have taken more than 20 minutes, but it felt like hours. The pilot had warned of an oncoming storm making flying conditions turbulent, but Maxson still wanted to head out. He had glanced over the landscape and wondered what she thought when she traversed the ruins of her world.

When he thought about it, Maxson realized Nora Howard was indeed from a different world. Everything she knew and loved was gone and she was forced to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. Maxson knew what the Wasteland could do, but she didn't. Something inside him made him want to take her in his arms and protect her each time she stood before him. She had a fragile look the first time he saw her, but she proved to him time and again that looks could be deceiving. Maxson wondered if she would go through with it and if she did, if she'd cry. He imagined himself catching Knight Howard as she collapsed into his arms, crying mournful tears at having to put down her mentor and friend. Maxson almost mimicked the action of cradling something.

Maxson remembered putting his hand on his chest, feeling his heart pound faster when the pilot told him they were within range of the target area. When they started to land, Maxson tried to think of what he could say when he approached. Maxson remembered taking his time to disembark. The pilot asked him if everything was alright. Maxson only nodded and left the Vertibird, telling the pilot to wait for him to come back with Knight Howard.

He had tried to distract himself with stupid thoughts to keep his mind clear. He thought about the latest transmission from Lost Hills, how they demanded to know if he had found a suitable candidate to become his wife and if so, when they could expect to hear back from him on the matter. Elder Arthur Maxson closed his eyes and nodded to no one. Yes, he had chosen his wife. And now, he was going to go claim her.

Maxson didn't know what to expect when he approached the bunker, so his shock and anger when he saw Danse leave the bunker alive was justified. Alive. Danse, the Synth that had made a fool of everyone in the Brotherhood of Steel, was alive and standing there as if he had just woken up. The two men stared at each other, like in an old Western holo-film that had been shown on one of the rare movie nights down at the airport. The only thing missing was the suspenseful music and the tumbleweeds blowing by. It had started storming, which seemed apt enough.

In his mind, Maxson assumed the worst. The thought that Danse had overpowered Nora, hurt her or maybe even killed her to keep his secret, coursed through his mind. But then, after a minute of standing in front of Danse, Knight Nora Howard came scampering out of the bunker. She had Danse's holotags in her hand and that damn dog tagging along behind her. Maxson hated that dog, but tolerated his presence because he was Nora's dog and he was usually useful on missions.

Maxson didn't know what to say, but he knew was he was thinking.

 _How could you betray me like this?_

 _After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me?_

 _I gave you a simple order, now I expect you to do it!_

 _You can't leave me for him, I won't let you!_

Maxson wasn't sure where that last one came from, but he felt it hard. In his mind, she was already his. He knew it was a mistake to let her and Danse get so close. If he had assigned her to another squad, or maybe if he had made Danse stay at the outpost, this wouldn't have happened. Watching her put her hand on Danse's shoulder made Maxson's blood boil.

That image replayed in Maxson's head over and over again. Even now, as he stood in relative silence in the corridor leading to the mess hall, Maxson couldn't shake the need to find Danse and strangle him. But he made a promise to Nora that he wouldn't harm Danse no matter what. He wanted to so badly, though.

"Elder?" A voice from behind Maxson startled him. Maxson looked at saw Proctor Quinlan standing there, his arms filled with folders and various papers. It had almost become his trademark. Proctor Quinlan was much older than the man he was attempting to salute while trying to balance his workload. He was a few inches shorter than Maxson and wore glasses that didn't help his vision much. He had a box full of different glasses, in his own personal mission to find a right pair. The pair he usually wore was as close as he could get until the scavenging team brought in more.

Maxson straightened himself up and cleared his throat. "Proctor Quinlan, up late again." It was obvious that he was trying to dispel the awkwardness and failing horribly.

"The work never ceases, Elder." Quinlan responded. "Getting through the rest of the Institute data can be tiring. Luckily, it's mostly just security reports and lunch menus now that we've decoded what we need. I decided to take a small break and look over some other things during my midnight snack."

Maxson wasn't sure if Quinlan had even slept since getting the Institute data. "Good, good." Maxson said, distracted. "Yes, remember to get some sleep, too. I don't want Cade telling me you collapsed from exhaustion again. I need every man alert for when the time comes."

Quinlan looked at Maxson curiously and went on his way. Everyone knew how strangely Maxson had been acting lately. It was no secret, though Maxson believed it was, that the Elder had a bit of a drinking habit and had quite a collection hidden in various places in his room.

Maxson didn't normally eat or drink in the mess hall. He had all his meals brought to him in his quarters. But tonight, he couldn't take the quiet anymore. The only sound in his room was his own movement and the hum of the terminal and even that was almost deafening. He wanted someone he could share his meals with. Someone like Nora…

"Elder Maxson!" The man behind the counter nearly shouted. He put down the glass he was cleaning and stood in attention. "What brings you here so late? I normally only see the night crew and Proctor Quinlan at this hour."

"Up late with some reports. I needed a break. Do you have anything left from dinner?" Elder Maxson sat at the bar, ignoring the light conversation happening behind him at the tables.

"I've already put the heavy stuff back in the freezer storage, Sir. I still have some of those Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, and I can put on another pot of coffee…" The Mess Officer watched Maxson wave his hand dismissively and point to the pot of coffee on a hot plate nearby. "One cup of coffee, coming up."

Maxson watched as the Mess Officer put the coffee pot on and searched for a clean coffee mug. Maxson rubbed his head. He tried to distract himself with the light conversation of the initiates on break from their night patrol, but it only seemed to consist of bad jokes and an anecdote about who almost got their arm ripped off by a mirelurk on a dare. Maxson stroked his beard, made a mental note to trim it soon, and watched as the steaming coffee cup was placed in front of him. In the corner table, he could hear Quinlan humming to himself while pretending to read a report. He was actually reading a Grognak comic book hidden in a folder and didn't want anyone to know.

"So, did you read that article yet?" asked an initiate at the table behind Maxson. Maxson believed that without his battle jacket, no one recognized him sitting at the bar.

"No, Proctor Ingram has confiscated every copy the scav teams bring back, which happens a lot apparently. She even told Teagan to make sure any copies found in acquisitions are destroyed. I bet he keeps a copy for himself in that cage of his." said another initiate.

"Playing damage control must get exhausting." said a third initiate.

"Have you read it?" asked the first one.

"I got about half-way through it on my break before my CO ripped it from my hands." answered the third initiate. "But even half-way through…wow."

"Yeah, I heard it was a hum-dinger of a story." said the second initiate.

"I once found what they called a 'Pulp Novel' in the pre-war days while helping some scribes scavenge an old book store. I tell you, the stuff in that article almost rivals the garbage they back then." said the third initiate, again.

"What do you think happened to Paladin Howard?" the first one asked.

"I heard she had that scribe, what's her name…umm, oh yeah! Scribe Haylen. I heard she had Scribe Haylen take her down to the outskirts of Cambridge. They questioned her for an hour but they only got the bare minimum of the story." said the second initiate.

"The words 'Bare Minimum' keep popping up in all these rumors about what happened between Elder Maxson and Paladin Howard." said the third initiate.

The Initiates laughed softly and then took their plates to the big wash bin before going back to their duties. Maxson stared at the coffee cup, letting the rich aroma of coffee beans waft past his nose. He wasn't sure if he wanted it anymore. Everyone on the Prydwen knew his dirty little secret and he bet they were laughing at him. He already knew some of the female soldiers gave him long glances when they thought he wasn't looking. He could almost feel them peeling off his clothes with their eyes.

Maxson grabbed the coffee cup and went back to his quarters. He decided his coffee needed to be sweetened a bit and he had the perfect sweetener in his room. He walked past a group of female initiates that stopped and giggled at him before continuing to the mess hall.

This was getting out of hand. Ingram could confiscate every copy she could, but somehow the damning article was finding its way into the hands of his soldiers. While they could take every copy that made its way into the airport or on to the Prydwen, they couldn't stop the copies circling around the Commonwealth itself.

The sound of his door slamming echoed throughout the Prydwen. The patrols knew this meant Maxson DID NOT want to be disturbed and the only reason they should do so is if something was on fire. Maxson sat back down at his terminal and poured some whiskey into his coffee.

 _What have I done?_ Maxson thought, letting the glow of his terminal light the entire room. _I let my emotions take over and now I'm the laughing stock of the entire Brotherhood of Steel. If the Elder's Council got wind of this, I'll never hear the end of it. They'll insist I find Nora and marry her to keep the Brotherhood from further embarrassment. I let my emotions sway my course of action. How could one woman effect a man so much by doing so little? Was it really me promoting her, or my desire to be closer to her?_

Maxson leaned back. He was tired, but he couldn't make himself get up and go to bed. It was too lonely, too cold. He wanted Nora next to him. He wanted to wake up with her in his arms every morning and fall asleep that way each night. Maxson felt himself go hot in the chest. He unzipped his flight suit down to his stomach and took off the bomber jacket he was wearing. His vision blurred and he felt dizzy. He took a sip from his "sweetened" coffee and tried not to think about it.

 _This is all Danse's fault._ He thought. _That bastard. He must have known I was interested in Paladin Howard before I did. He knew. That bastard knew and he exploited it. He thought he could convince her to leave the Brotherhood and be with him. Leave ME and be with him._

Maxson chugged his spiked coffee and poured whiskey into the empty cup. _Nora…why did you leave? What does he have that I don't? Why would you choose him over me? I know I promised not to harm him, but if I ever seen Danse again, I'll make sure you can't run back to him._

Breathing deeply, Maxson rubbed his chest. His heart was pounding wildly. He started breathing heavily. When he put his hand on his right bicep, Maxson thought he felt her hand on his. Maybe it was the whiskey, but he thought he heard Nora telling him to come to bed. Maxson stood up, bringing the bottle of whiskey with him, and fell on his back onto his uncomfortable mattress. He chugged the whiskey and rubbed his chest again. He was feeling hot, so he slid the rest of his uniform off. He ignored the small plop sound it made on the floor.

Thoughts of Nora swimming through his head made Maxson drink deeply from his whiskey again. These thoughts made Maxson's hand go lower until he could feel how erect he was through his boxers. The undershorts he had started wearing were too constricting and he let those slide off as well.

There were times in Maxson's life where he questioned his decisions. He hated himself for it, but it was human nature to do so. He let his emotions make his decisions again. It was one of the many flaws the Brotherhood refused to acknowledge.

"Nora…" he whispered, slowly stroking himself. "I shouldn't have let you leave..."

Maxson's drunken mind wandered to her again. He could see her, her naked body mocking him and her plump lips puckered up. Maxson sat up and started going faster. He envisioned her in his bed, waiting for him to be done with his workload so they could spend time together. She'd tease him, using a playfully sad voice saying he was purposely ignoring her and he'd try to comfort her.

"I would never ignore you, my love." Maxson moaned, slowing his pace down and rubbing his chest. He imagined himself climbing into bed and kissing her all the way down her body, almost in worship of her naked presence and the vessel for his seed that she would become on that night. She would tease him, saying he's too rough with her. Maxson smiled and started stroking faster. "I'll be as gentle as you want me to be, but I want you."

In his mind, his desire was met with the urgency a soldier gave to a superior officer. He imagined her, wearing nothing but his big battle jacket, bouncing up and down on his rock hard member. Every bounce from this Imaginary Nora was timed with his strokes. With his free hand, he drank deep from his whiskey bottle and threw it across the room empty. Maxson began to stroke faster, imagining Nora moaning loudly as he pumped faster and faster. Maxson imagined himself holding onto her hips and giving her everything he had.

"Nora…" he moaned. He could feel himself getting closer to his release. He wanted it so badly, her wanted _her_ so badly, it was starting to hurt. Maxson wanted her so badly, he thought he actually felt her lean down and kiss him. It was soft, warm, and it was enough.

Maxson's member erupted with a massive burst of his seed splattering all over his hand, his stomach, and a little on his chest. His satisfied moan echoed through his empty room. Maxson lay there breathing deeply, the Imaginary Nora laying on his chest. He stared at the ceiling for a while. He didn't make much of an effort to fetch something to wipe himself off. Maxson's thoughts went back and forth, from finding Nora to taking on the Institute. He couldn't do one without the other.

There was a guilty thought going through Maxson's mind as he brought the sheets up over his still messy physique. He only felt guilty about it when he was drunk. When he was sober, he felt he had made a sound decision that was best for everyone, even if no one else knew about it. As with most people, Maxson only had regrets when he was drunk.

"Nora, will you forgive me?" he asked the wall while fighting sleeping. "Please, don't think less of me for what I've done. I did what I had to do…" he murmured, drifting off to sleep. Maxson drifted off to sleep, murmuring drunkenly. "I did what was best…"

* * *

 **Hi, hi!**

 **A little rule of Luna Peachie's fan fictions: ABSOLUTELY NO POLITICS FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD WILL BE DISCUSSED HERE! I know this election has turned everyone into SJW political monsters, but let's keep this place an area of enjoyment, relaxation, and comedic smut.**

 **Now that that's said, let's continue. I have some news for you guys. I already have the next chapter ready to go, I just need to edit it and make sure it's ready for submission. In my weird mind, I sometimes see things and write things before they need to be submitted. Hell, most of the fics I've published here started with the ending being written first. I wonder if other writers do that. Write the ending and then go back so they can write to get to that ending, only editing as they see fit. Hmm…**

 **It is what is is, am I right? As long as I can get my chapters out to you guys in a timely manner, I'm happy. I try to update as much as possible, so just keep an eye out.**

 **Next chapter: we check in with Scribe Haylen, who believes there is more to Danse being exiled than the Brotherhood and Maxson is letting on. She's going to get to the bottom of it, with the help of some new friends. We'll get back to Nora and Piper and the coat in the chapter after next.**

 **So, you know what to do! Write me a review, tell me how I did! Give me the boost I need to get these chapters out faster! That's what you want, right? I know that's what I want!**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	6. Allegiance

_The Battle Coat_

Allegiance

The Cambridge Police Station wasn't exactly buzzing with anything tonight, unless one counted the radiation from the coming radstorm. The police station, which had been repurposed as an outpost for the Brotherhood of Steel, had been refortified, resupplied, and completely repopulated. It was a pretty boring post, but most of the soldiers stationed there agreed it was better than the alternative of being on the Prydwen and under Maxson's bazaar orders lately.

One or two high ranking knights and some of their initiates called the outpost home, while the rest of the denizens consisted of scribes of varying ranks. One such scribe, a young woman called Haylen, could normally be found in a back room, typing her reports or tending to wounded. Unofficially, she was the outpost medic, since she had the most medical training out of anyone there. She still went out on missions, but those were rare and normally not very far.

Scribe Haylen rarely went out on her own. With most of Cambridge crawling with Feral Ghouls and who knew what else, it was dangerous for anyone to be roaming around, Brotherhood or not. Even the power-armored knights did their patrols in groups, as not to be ambushed. But Scribe Haylen had a deadline to meet and she couldn't put it off tonight, even if there was a radstorm looming overhead. She carried some RadAway in one of her vest pockets, so she wasn't too worried.

The thunder overhead was getting louder. Haylen knew this mission wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. She packed a little more RadAway just to be safe and slung her pack over her shoulder. She made a note on her terminal and started walking towards the door of the police station.

"It's looking bad out there." said one of the knights in power armor, taking off his helmet.

His partner, a woman in power armor, took of her helmet and nodded. "You never see radstorms in the Capitol. At least none like this."

"It's probably because the Commonwealth is so close to a detonation site." Her partner answered. "The radstorms come from the Glowing Sea to the south, but none of the science scribes can explain it."

Haylen listened to the two for a bit before they walked off to relinquish their armor and go on break. The gossip around the Cambridge Outpost had dried up recently, ever since Elder Maxson sent word that any copy of the newspaper called Publick Occurrences was the be relinquished to a commanding officer immediately for destruction. Of course, Knight Rhys was more than happy to follow orders, but it took some convincing to get the others to give up their copies. A stray copy still popped up every now and then, more than likely bought by an initiate from one of the traveling traders.

Years ago, Haylen found she had a knack for hiding things. Extra snacks, secret holotape recordings, or even the whereabouts of a certain exiled former Paladin and the recently missing Paladin. She put those skills to use many times during her career with the Brotherhood of Steel. She gained the ability to hide things from her years of blending in to the background. No one seemed to notice Haylen until she spoke up or unless something was bleeding. She needed both abilities tonight for her special mission.

Haylen had just reached the door when she felt a hand grab her shoulder. A cold feeling went through her as she slowly turned to see who it was. To her relief, it was just Knight Rhys. Knight Rhys was a tough as nails soldier, like Danse was. She had been avoiding Rhys since the entire fiasco with Danse because she knew he'd want to talk about it. Rhys had looked up to Danse and he felt betrayed. Haylen comforted him as much as she could when the news got out, but Rhys wasn't someone to mourn for long. In an hour of hearing the news, it was back to business.

"Where are you off to in this weather?" Rhys asked, as Haylen fully faced him.

"Technology procurement. I've been putting it off and it can't wait anymore." Haylen gave him her most convincing smile. It was mostly true, anyway.

Rhys sniffed and folded his arms. "Do you want me to come with you? Ferals might be wandering around in this weather."

Haylen turned pale. She liked Rhys very much and used to look for any reason to be close to him. But she shook that thought from her head many times, tonight being one of them. "No, it's fine. I'm not going very far and I got my laser pistol and a backup 10mm just in case."

Rhys looked at Haylen suspiciously. "You're taking an awfully small backpack for a procurement mission."

Haylen swallowed. "Well, I don't want to be weighed down in this weather." She rubbed her arms, trying not to look suspicious. "If it's any bigger than a pile of folders, I'll mark the location and come back for it."

With a satisfied grunt, Rhys left Haylen standing by the door. Haylen wasn't sure why she was disappointed; she knew Rhys wasn't one for tearful goodbyes. She only sighed, tightened her grip on her pack strap, and left the outpost. Haylen made her way passed the barricades and out into Cambridge. The radstorm overhead had just barely begun. She had a long walk ahead of her.

There had been many thoughts going through her head lately. Scribe Haylen had a lot on her plate and now all eyes were on her. She read the reports, she went over the data over a thousand times, but none of it made any sense to her, still. Paladin Danse was a Synth. Everyone else had accepted it, but she couldn't. Haylen felt something wasn't right. No one was giving her a straight answer. Not her commanding officers, not Elder Maxson, and certainly not Paladin Nora Howard. Haylen had been questioned about Paladin Howard's disappearance and she only told the truth. Paladin Howard had been right to only give her the bare minimum about why she was wearing the bare minimum when Haylen dropped her off outside of Cambridge.

Haylen stopped by a crooked, fading stop sign and looked around. Something was going on within the Brotherhood and no one was giving her a straight answer. She wondered why Elder Maxson was so dead set on finding Paladin Howard. "It couldn't be because of Danse." She murmured. "It has to do with why she was barely dressed."

The horrible thought that Elder Maxson used his position to take advantage of Paladin Howard during the Danse fiasco had crossed her mind many times. Haylen didn't get a chance to read the article that had the entire Brotherhood, nay the entire Commonwealth, in an uproar. When she got her hands on a copy, the most she could read was the opening few lines before Rhys snatched it out of her hands. The thought of a man with power like Maxson using his authority to hurt someone she cared about…

Haylen let out an angry yell and punched the crooked, faded stop sign. It hurt like hell and her fingers were throbbing, but she ignored it. Haylen's second biggest secret was that she had doubts about the Brotherhood's true mission in the Commonwealth. Sometimes, she wished she was back in the Capitol Wasteland. She wished she hadn't volunteered to go on this stupid recon mission with Danse, Rhys, and the others. She sometimes wondered what would have happened if she stayed.

Shaking her head, Haylen decided not to think about it. She had an important job to do. She walked down the broken road a little ways until she reached a dirt road off the cracked pavement. Her destination was an abandoned garage near a small settlement called Greygarden. Greygarden was inhabited by mostly robots, with one or two humans working as lookouts. None of them bothered Haylen whenever she came over here. She had discovered this little abandoned garage, with tools and other good salvage on a whim. But lately, it had another use.

Haylen remembered working on an old ham radio in this garage when she first found it. It was a simple repair and she had hoped she could use the ham radio as a backup in case the one at the outpost broke down again. During a test, she found a frequency she probably wasn't supposed to find. Thinking it was an Institute channel, Haylen had listened it. In was all in codes, sometimes someone spoke, and when they did it was mostly gibberish that Haylen felt was significant. She couldn't bring her findings to her commanding officers without more information. So, using her limited knowledge of Morse code, she sent her own code through the microphone. It said for whoever's frequency this was to meet her outside of Greygarden. Haylen knew this was probably a dumb idea, but she had come armed. What she found at the designated meet up time was the reason she now used this old garage as a meeting place.

Making sure she wasn't followed, Haylen put down her pack and went to the side of the garage opening. She lit the lantern hanging just above the door and closed it behind her. Haylen sat and waited. This place became her little secret. It was a place she could come to think, a place she could tinker with devices and tech before taking it back for acquisition, and it became a meeting place for her new friends.

Haylen estimated it was probably a half-hour before she heard a tapping sound on the dusty window. She looked over and saw a shadow of sorts lurking by it. She wasn't scared, though. She knew who it was and why they were there. If the Brotherhood of Steel found out about this, Haylen would be in front of a firing squad before she could blink. But she needed to know the truth. She would either confront Elder Maxson or she'd leave it be. Either way, she needed justification for when it came time to do what she had to do.

"I don't mean to trouble you, Miss." said the figure on the other side of the window. "But you do have a Geiger counter?"

Haylen smiled, put down the gun she was holding, and went to open the garage door. She greeted this person with a smile. "Mine is in the shop." She responded, making sure this person wasn't followed. The person ran in fast before Haylen could shut the door all the way. Haylen lit some candle and sat back down in her rickety chair. "You're late." She scolded, folding her arms. "I can't stay out here all night, they'll send out a search party for me after a few hours."

"I had to take the long way. Your Elder set up some patrols near my usual route." said the man, fixing his sunglasses. Haylen didn't know this man too well. She knew it was the same man she met many times before because of the sunglasses and his voice. His way of dressing always seemed to change. The first time she met this man, he was dressed in a standard farmer's outfit, the second time he was dressed in a tux complete with bow tie and cummerbund. This time, he had a swell of black hair (she couldn't tell if it was a wig or not) and a simple white t-shirt and jeans.

Haylen was surprised he came alone this time. Last few times they met, he was joined by two others with guns. "I guess your boss thinks I can be trusted, now." Haylen remarked.

"We couldn't spare a heavy to come with me. The Brotherhood isn't the only faction that's been busy." The man said. "We're taking a huge chance with a one-on-one meeting."

Haylen nodded and opened up her pack. "It took a little more subterfuge and stealth than I'm trained for, but I got the tech you wanted." Haylen took out various tech and put it in a nearby cardboard box. "It's mostly parts from computers and there are some schematics on holotapes, as well as a few about mandatory field training and foot patrol schedules, but it should be enough to make your life a lot easier."

The man looked happy with what Haylen brought. She was a little taken back when their last communication asked for supplies and Vertibird schematics, but she figured whatever it was they were doing was their business and she wasn't in the mood to care anyway. "You did good, Tourist." The man said. "The Boss likes what we've got going on here. Everything you've brought us has been real beneficial. But I can't help but feel I'm out of the loop a bit. Why is a Brotherhood Scribe helping us?"

With a sigh, Haylen stood up. "I guess it's time I tell you. I've had my doubts about the Brotherhood since before we came to the Commonwealth, but it was little things that I could get over. But once the cavalry arrived and we started this campaign, something has been gnawing at me. Like what we're doing isn't for the greater good anymore."

"Everyone's idea of the greater good is different." The man said. "What my definition is and what yours is are two different things."

"But the greater good of both parties starts out as the same concept." Haylen argued. "Look, I'm not risking my life to debate philosophy with you in the middle of nowhere. If there is one thing, and only one thing, the Brotherhood and your people have in common, it's that we know the Institute needs to be stopped before it becomes too big for either to contain. It already has a stranglehold on the Commonwealth, and from what I heard it has it's slimy tentacles writhing toward the Capitol. Before you know it, it's stretching across the country and threatening the Mojave, the NCR, and whatever is in between here and there. But whether they realize it or not, the Brotherhood is at a disadvantage. We can't stop the Institute if there is an internal problem keeping everyone in the dark. There is something going on in the Brotherhood and it has to do with former Paladin Danse, the now missing Paladin Howard, and that article Piper Wright wrote. I understand your people worked with her on a few projects."

"Top notch agent." The man said, folding his arms.

"Is she within your ranks now?" Haylen asked, hopeful.

"Haven't seen her in a while. Last I heard, she was in Goodneighbor, but that was a few days ago. She travels so fast, she could be anywhere by now." The man said this so bluntly. Haylen felt comforted knowing he trusted her this much. "So, you think this whole Paladin Danse being a Synth thing goes deeper than they are telling you?"

Haylen nodded, trying to hold back tears. "Yes, I do. Danse is a great man, a model for leaders everywhere. Hell, Paladin Howard called him a one man army on numerous occasions. Without him, I don't think our recon team could have survived long enough to meet Paladin Howard. He is a soldier, through and through. He'd lay down his own life on principal alone. For Maxson to just throw him overboard like that and make everyone believe he's dead, it's not right. I just think it's awfully convenient that Danse, a man Maxson himself has called the best soldier the Brotherhood has, just happens to be a Synth right as we're getting close to infiltrating the Institute. I think Danse was set up." Thunder roared and lightning flashed outside after she said that.

"And that's where we come in." The man said.

"I know your organization works with Synths, so I figured this would be right up your alley. I need your help with proving Danse's innocence and though I can barely trust you or your friends, you're the only lead I have." Haylen's shoulders slumped.

The man rubbed his stubbly chin. "I can dig that. But before I submit this to the Boss for approval, let me ask you the mandatory questions. Do you think, if Danse is a confirmed Synth, that Maxson wouldn't have done the same thing?"

Haylen shrugged. "Synth or not, the fact that one minute everyone is singing praises of him and the next everyone is pretending he didn't exist is awfully suspicious."

"Do you think Nora had something to do with it?" the man asked.

Haylen wasn't comfortable calling Nora anything except her rank. It was a force of habit for her. "Not directly, no." Haylen murmured, trying not to think unpleasant thoughts. "I think Paladin Howard is at the center of it all but she might not know it. It explains why she isn't at Elder Maxson's side right now and why she's AWOL."

The man nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you certain 'Paladin Howard' just didn't use the Brotherhood for her own gain and dip out once she got what she wanted?"

Haylen shook her head. "If that was the case, she would have left the moment she got that molecular transporter operational. She said they gave her some kind of chip that allowed her to use her Pip-Boy to teleport in and out at will. Don't ask me for the details, because I have no clue what she meant when she explained it. She didn't need us after that."

The man nodded again and looked at Haylen. Even with the sunglasses on, she could tell he was looking her in the eyes. "Doesn't sound like a classic set-up job, but if it is, it's not slap-dash. This is professional work by someone who has done it before. Last time, you mentioned a 'Proctor Quinlan' that oversaw most of the Institute data Nora brought back. Do you think he might have been bribed to alter the data?"

Haylen thought about this for a moment. "Proctor Quinlan is a very serious man. I've never seen him take up someone on their offer for a drink, let alone take a bribe."

With a sigh, the man threw his arms up in the air and looked around the garage. "If there is a set-up conspiracy going on, they covered their tracks well. I think the proof is in the pudding, though. You get that Institute data, I can have one of my guys see if it had been altered, even by a decimal. A copy is fine, but the original data might prove more damning." The man smiled at Haylen.

Haylen nodded. "How soon can you get the information back to me if I get the holotape?"

"If all goes according to plan, as it rarely does, I'd say it'd take at least a month." The man said, nonchalantly.

"A month?!" Haylen shouted. "It'd take me less time if I was doing it by myself!"

The man crossed his arms. "We don't have the tech the Brotherhood has to do it in a few days. We're running off jury-rigged computer systems and stuff we stole, ironically, from you guys. Plus, we have a thousand other projects going on right and unless the Boss says this takes priority, your case is on the waiting list."

Scribe Haylen sighed. "I'm going to assume that waiting list is about as long as the Prydwen."

"Not as long, but close." The man joked. He could see Haylen wasn't amused. "I hate to add insult to injury, but we also can't spare the extra agent to do any foot work, and it looks like this is going to require a lot of footwork before the tech part is even done. If you want to get this done faster, I have another guy for that." The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumbled, dirty card. "He's worked with us a few times, but he's not officially an agent in any capacity. More freelance. He normally does some foot work for us when we can't get into certain areas. I don't know how, but he always gets the job done."

The man handed Haylen a card. "Is he reliable?" she asked, looking at the dirty business card.

"Reliable, discreet, and willing to work with a payment plan. I haven't paid our tab in three years and he hasn't sent someone to break my legs yet." The man joked. "It might take some convincing, but he can probably be of more use to you than us at the moment."

"Will he work with Synths?" Haylen asked. "I mean, I guess he'll eventually have to see Danse…"

"You could say his specialty is Synth cases." The man laughed. "Talk to him. He's a great guy, super trustworthy. Get the grunt work out of the way and when you get what you need, you can come find us and we'll work our magic if we can."

Haylen nodded and looked at the business card again. She didn't have much of a choice. "Alright." She sighed. "I'll talk to this guy. I don't have much to lose at this point."

"That's the spirit!" The man said. "You know, you have the makings of a good agent within our own ranks."

"What?!" Haylen nearly shouted. "No, I couldn't join you guys. It'd go against everything I took an oath to protect-" Haylen interrupted herself when she realized what she was saying and doing.

"Oh, come on! It'll be loads of fun!" The man laughed. "We need someone on the inside that can get to areas without being noticed. You said it yourself, you've been questioning the Brotherhood's politics for years, and this whole Danse Conspiracy, if there is one, was just the cherry on top. The Brotherhood claims it's looking out for the greater good, but you've had a front row seat to a man using his power for his own selfish desires. I don't think Nora got cold feet because of one night of hot, heavy action. There is more, much more, going on than a war with the Institute."

"But how are you so sure that this itself isn't a set-up job by the Brotherhood of Steel to take you guys down?" Haylen asked.

The man shrugged. "In this line of work, everything can be a set-up job. Hell, this could be a set-up job and my guys could be waiting down the hill to capture you. All I can give you is my word that no matter what, you can count on us. You don't strike me as someone who'd rat us out to Maxson willingly. Trust is a big issue for us, and any organization that isn't based on trust is doomed. Honestly, I trusted you the moment I met you and you have yet to disappoint. I've always been straight with you, can Ol' Artie say the same?"

Haylen thought about this. She didn't like the sour taste working against her brothers in arms left, but her gut was telling her it wasn't right what Maxson was doing. Because of Maxson, Danse's entire livelihood had been stripped from him and as far as Haylen knew, he was now living in a bunker in the middle of nowhere. Far away from everything he held dear and loved. She was forbidden to speak his name or to even mention that he was her squad leader. Even if this idea that he was set-up was wrong, even if it made her look like a fool in front of this man and his underground team, Haylen needed closure all the same. But still, she felt her time to cross the thin line between soldier and full on traitor hadn't arrived yet.

Shaking her head, Haylen refused. "I'm sorry. I just can't. I'm willing to help you undermine foot patrols and sneak you classified schematics, but I can't help you take down the Brotherhood."

The man reluctantly nodded. "Your call. If you change your mind and want to upgrade from tourist to agent, you know my frequency." The man smiled and looked outside. The radstorm had dissipated, but another storm was coming in fast. "It's getting late. You should head back while the weather is clear. I'll hang around Greygarden for a bit so none of your lookouts think anything is up. What are you going to tell them when you come back without any tech?"

Haylen smiled. "I got it covered. There is an old water purification plant nearby. My intel says it's crawling with Super Mutants. It's marked for 'purging', but Maxson has yet to send a team to do so. I'll tell the others that the muties there compromised my mission, that I staked the location out for a while, deemed it unsafe, and returned to base. Standard procedure."

The man smiled. "I like it. Always paperwork and procedure with the Brotherhood."

Haylen shrugged. "It's an outpost, not Adams Air Force Base. No one likes being buried under paperwork unless it's their reassignment paperwork. Unless it's tech that can be sent to Quinlan, the CO there doesn't really care if we come back with anything or not. I'll get the third degree about being gone too long, but in the end, he just wants to get to bed like everyone else. Being stationed at the Outpost is cushy, but it's dull."

The man laughed and watched as Haylen got up to leave. "We'll be in touch, the usual way. Godspeed, Scribe."

Haylen nodded and started to leave. She stopped and looked behind at the man. "Hey, you never told me your name."

A chuckle escaped the man's lips. "I may have trusted you from the start, but my boss didn't. She didn't authorize me to say anything. But…I think I can bend the rules this time. I'm called Deacon."

Haylen nodded and started to run down the hill. She took the business card out of her top vest pocket and read it again. She'd need to keep this on her person at all times. If her brothers in arms knew what she had planned, she'd never get a chance to contact this guy. She decided to volunteer to do a supply run to Diamond City. It would be her only chance to talk to his guy. Haylen stared at the business card and was a little surprised when a rain drop hit it. Rain normally followed a radstorm. She walked and read, over and over again.

 _ **Valentine Detective Agency**_

 _ **All Matters Private and Public**_

 _ **No Job Too Big or Too Small**_

 _ **Diamond City Market**_

 _ **Ask for Nick**_

* * *

 **Hi, hi!**

 **New update so quickly?! WHA?!**

 **Yeah, new update quickly. I hope to have these out on a semi-regular basis because I hate being kept out of the loop and I hate keeping my readers out of the loop (says the chick who has at least two fics on indefinite hiatus lol)**

 **We will return to Nora, Piper, and the coat next chapter. They'll be returning for the coat and find it in a compromising position. I'll leave it at that.**

 **It's getting colder, have you noticed? If you're reading this in another hemisphere or it's summer by the time you find this fic, you'll probably think I'm crazy. But as of right now, it's November and it's starting to get chilly. Well, that means I'll be inside more often and writing for you guys! We all win here!**

 **We've got a lot of ground to cover, but don't worry, this story isn't going to end for a long time. I got a few more surprises for you in the upcoming chapters, and I promise most, if not all the major companions from Fallout 4 will have at least one turn with the coat. Probably not Strong or X8, unless I can work them in somehow. Never cared for either as companions. They don't add much for me, I guess.**

 **Well, you know the routine! Let me know how I did in a lovely review and I'll see that I get my next chapter out as soon as possible. The faster I get these done, the faster I can get to the chapter with Nick Valentine in it! And trust me, we all want that.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout 4 belongs to Bethesda.**


	7. Comfortably Numb

_The Battle Coat_

Comfortably Numb

"Alright, I'm done playing this game! I said hand over everything you have!" shouted the man with the pipe pistol aimed at the woman's head.

"We already told you, we don't have anything else!" the woman shouted, holding the scared child close.

The raiders, who had disguised themselves as guards for hire to gain the settler's trust, where already going through the bags the little traveling group had brought with them. Mostly clothes, scrap for trade, and food here and there, but nothing really valuable. The settlers were on their way to Goodneighbor to sell their salvage when they were taken by surprise by their own escorts. They were probably a block or so away from the settlement, the lights indicating that Goodneighbor was close by were so tantalizing. So close, and yet…

"You've already taken everything we have! We spent every cap we had on your escort!" shouted the man on the ground. The ringleader had his foot on the settler's back and his hunting rifle to the man's head. In hindsight, he should have been more wary. He figured they were so expensive because most freelance escorts wouldn't willingly go into the city toward Goodneighbor.

"I think you're lying!" shouted the one with the pipe pistol. He nudged the woman's face with the barrel and smiled. "You, take off your clothes. Let me make sure you aren't hiding anything from us."

Before the raider could get the woman to do anything, a lone gunshot pierced the tension. The bullet from the gunshot knocked the pipe pistol from the raider's hand. He looked around, trying to see where the shot came from but saw nothing. He turned his attention back to the woman but another shot grazed his ear. Holding his ear in pain, the raider swung his head around and looked up. He could see a figure standing on an overturned billboard nearby.

The raiders couldn't really make out the figure. The buildings still standing nearby shielded the figure from the sun. "Who's there?!" the raider shouted. The other raiders stopped what they were doing and came to get a better look at the person who dared barge in on their enterprise. The settlers used this distraction to make a run for the gates of Goodneighbor.

The figure said nothing. It was wearing a long coat and a funny looking hat. The raiders had heard that there was a mercenary in a dark trench coat from the old days running around killing n'er-do-wells, but they weren't expecting anything like this. Could this be the Silver Shroud? The one the other raider gangs talked about and the reason most avoided Goodneighbor now?

"You come into my part of the neighborhood…" A smooth, yet raspy voice started. "…disguised as honest escorts, then have the audacity to try and hassle them out of everything they own? Nah, that kind of shit ain't going to fly here, my friend. Not in Goodneighbor."

"We're not in Goodneighbor, you costumed freak!" One of the raiders shouted. Another gunshot blew the man's head clean off. The other raiders looked on in shock and horror at their leader's head exploding before their eyes. Luckily, the settlers had their eyes covered.

"If you can see the lights, you're in Goodneighbor in spirit. And that's enough for me." The silhouette jumped from his spot on the billboard and held up his shotgun at the other raiders. The voice's owner stepped out of the shadows, revealing a Ghoul wearing a tri-corner hat and a heavy leather jacket with an arm missing. He was also wearing an old world flag as a belt underneath. "So, where were we? Right, you idiots were going to give these good people their money and stuff back before you end up like your buddy there."

The raiders dropped everything they had, even stuff that they didn't take from the settlers, and made a run for it. If this was the Silver Shroud, they weren't going to chance it. After they were a good distance away, the sounds of a military-caliber minigun echoed off the decaying buildings around them, turning the raiders into red paste as they tried to run away.

"You folks okay?" The Ghoul asked as his female counterpart walked up, smoking minigun in hand. The settlers said nothing as they gathered their things from the piles on the ground. "Word of advice: never hire escorts unless they come from Bunker Hill. They keep a tight handle on their guys. Freelancers normally end up robbing you blind." The Ghoul walked over to the woman and her child and helped both off the cold, wet ground.

"Are you…" the startled woman's voice shook a bit. "…we heard rumors about someone calling themselves 'The Silver Shroud' roaming around downtown, taking out raiders and such. Are you the Silver Shroud?"

The Ghoul laughed a bit, though not mockingly. "Nah, I ain't the Shroud. I know her, though. Top notch lady, wouldn't mind seeing what's under the trench coat myself." The Ghoul chuckled again and then remembered the settlers had a kid with them, who was looking up at him in confusion. The Ghoul cleared his throat. "The name's Hancock. This lady here is Fahrenheit. Welcome to Goodneighbor. I run this joint and she keeps the rabble in check."

The woman called Fahrenheit just grunted and nodded before heading back toward the gate to the settlement. The settlers huddled around Hancock, though their faces didn't show relief. "We came from the south looking for a new start." said the man, still keeping arm's length between him and Hancock. "It's been hell the entire way and those guys didn't make it better. A Ghoul friend of ours told us about Goodneighbor, and how it was a good place to rest and trade before leaving the city."

"And he wasn't wrong." Hancock said, leading them the rest of the block to Goodneighbor. He opened the gate and pointed to where they could buy and sell supplies and where they could find weapons to defend themselves on the rest of their journey (he figured they'd need it). "Daisy is a good woman. She has good deals and won't stiff you. KL-E-0 runs the gun shop. Don't ask who programed her to do that, because no one knows. She's got a good arsenal and she's fun to talk to; if your favorite subjects are weapons and murder."

Hancock let the little settler family go about its business and met Fahrenheit by the door to his building. "You've been playing hero more often than usual." Fahrenheit murmured. "I don't think I've seen you set foot outside of Goodneighbor in months."

"What can I say? I've been feeling extra heroic lately." Hancock straightened out the leather coat and walked inside. "Something about this jacket just makes me want to get out there and shoot people."

"Must be all that machismo it absorbed being worn by Maxson." Fahrenheit said, walking up the spiral stairs.

Hancock laughed as he followed her. "The man must eat Buffout like it's candy." Hancock waved to his guards and walked into his living area. He instructed Fahrenheit to close the big doors. This big room served as Hancock's living area, as well as his office and drug den. He rarely had the big doors closed, and that normally meant he was about to "unwind" or talk in private with Fahrenheit. Sometimes both. He walked over to the sink and opened a drawer.

"I saw a trader come through the gates this morning." Fahrenheit said, sitting on one of the couches. "I think it's the monthly supply guy. That poor brahmin was overloaded with stuff on its back. That means Kent will probably be wanting your new duds back soon."

Hancock didn't say anything. He found what he was looking for and brought it to the couch opposite Fahrenheit's. A little inhaler with a red handle sat in his hand. He held it up, as if he had just found some kind of lost treasure, and smiled at it. Fahrenheit knew what this device was. It was a Jet Inhaler, one of many that Hancock had stashed around the building for various reasons. Fahrenheit wouldn't call her boss an addict, because he didn't display the normal signs of jet addiction. She often wondered if this was another abnormality of being a Ghoul. Or maybe it was the system he had for taking chems.

"Never overdo it." Hancock would say. "Taking chems is like being in a relationship: Every good high comes in time. No need to rush it, just let it come naturally. And above all, don't abuse the privilege, or it'll come back to haunt you in ways you'll never imagine. If you don't take time to appreciate what you have, it'll be gone and the next thing you know, you're scrambling around in the mud for a newer, stronger, and possibly even deadlier fix."

With a soft cackle that sounded like someone walking on cracked pavement, Hancock relaxed into his couch and simply smiled at Fahrenheit. "I know our Vault Girl will be back for it soon." He mumbled, holding the inhaler up. "You think I should chase this with something?"

Fahrenheit shrugged. "Why go for sloppy seconds when you just had something good?"

Hancock nodded and put the inhaler closer to his almost nonexistent lips. "Fred Allen over at the Rexford said this was some kind of new Jet he wanted to test out before he starts selling to humans."

"No better guinea pig than a Ghoul." Fahrenheit said, lighting a cigarette and leaning back. She wasn't too big on chems, though she took Jet every now and then to relax. She was mostly there so Hancock wouldn't go into convulsions or overdose. If anything, if he did start to come down in the worst way, she didn't want Hancock to be alone.

Hancock had used experimental chems before. Sometimes the high was good and he'd ride it for a while, and sometimes it was a dud and he'd get nothing but a bad headache. But Fred Allen was normally good on his word when it came to chems. He knew what he was doing (for the most part).

Motioning bottom's up to Fahrenheit, Hancock put the inhaler in his mouth and pressed the nozzle. He knew that each hit of Jet was different. Sometimes, he'd get a nice rush and ride it like a wave. Sometimes, it would just slow the inevitable and he'd get nothing from it. But the moment Hancock pressed the nozzle, he could feel something good coming on.

Time started to slow down, as it often felt when Jet was inhaled. His eyes wide, Hancock slowly looked to Fahrenheit, who was tilting her head. Hancock felt a smile start to crinkle across his face and his happy moan sounded deep and low in his own ears.

Fred Allen told Hancock that, if the recipe was done right, it would be like riding one of those old world rollercoasters. Hancock had never ridden one, or seen a working one outside of old pictures for that matter, but decided to see what Fred meant first hand. Hancock felt the used inhaler fall from his hand as he slumped deeper into the couch.

Hancock was used to what Jet could do, but he suddenly felt hot. This was new. Maybe this is what Fred Allen was talking about. The sensation didn't feel like his body was warm, it felt like everything around him was warm. Like it was on fire. Hancock struggled to keep his eyes open. He felt if he closed his eyes, he'd suffocate. He could hear Fahrenheit asking him if he was okay. Hancock didn't fight it anymore. The last thing he saw as he slumped further into the couch was the sleeve of the coat…

 _The air around him was suffocating. Smoke was coming from the building behind him. There was a firing raging nearby and it was spreading to the other buildings. Hancock heard someone yelling at him to help get the fire contained. He thought the voice sounded like Preston Garvey, but he couldn't be sure. Everything was blurred, yet he could make out certain faces. Some were wearing Minutemen outfits while some were in makeshift armor he recognized as Railroad style armor. Hancock turned around slowly and saw fire engulfing a big church behind him. Was it the Old North Church?_

 _People were running with buckets from the river to try and keep the fire contained while others fought Brotherhood soldiers, in and out of power armor. Minutemen and Railroad agents alike were doing their best to defend this burning historical landmark. Hancock thought he heard screams from the church as a Minuteman tried to kick down the smoldering front doors. Bullets and laser beams flew around overhead, but nothing seemed to hit him._

 _Hancock started walking, yet no one seemed to notice he was walking opposite them. The world was going in slow motion around him. He walked to the stature in front of the church and saw a little old woman standing beside it. He had met this woman before, during one of his excursions to Sanctuary to see Nora. The locals called her Mama Murphy and Hancock liked the spry old woman. He'd gotten stoned with her a few times, but nothing like this ever happened._

" _The Sight has brought me a friend this time." She murmured, not looking up at Hancock. Hancock wasn't sure if Mama Murphy was blind or just had bad eyes._

" _What is all this?" Hancock asked. "I've never had this kind of high before."_

 _Mama Murphy didn't seem to notice or care about the chaos going on around her. This seemed to be routine for her. She still didn't face Hancock, though. "The Sight is picky about who sees what. You may have one and then never have another one for the rest of your life, or you can see it whenever you take a hit of something. Or in some cases, it can literally blow your mind…"_

" _Are you saying I'm seeing the future?" Hancock asked, looking at the battle going on. "Trippy…"_

 _Mama Murphy put her finger to her closed lips, telling Hancock to be quiet. She pointed to the sky, where Vertibirds were descending upon the bank of the river. Brotherhood soldiers came out of every nook and cranny with guns held high. The fire was spreading, but Hancock couldn't take his eyes off the chaos around it._

" _Fire will burn Boston again," Mama Murphy started. "…but it will not be started by bombs. In the flames, a war will be fought by different types of soldiers. One side fights for all, one side fights for those who cannot be heard, one side fights for the future in the name of the past. Old World meets New World, when the envoy of both tries to intervene…"_

 _Mama Murphy lifted her hand and pointed to the figure running near them. Through the screams, the flames, and shots fired, this lone blue figure ran for the banks of the river. Hancock noticed something he hadn't before by the riverside. Two men stood in the ruins of a house by the banks, one held a gun to the other's head. The one being threatened raised his hands in surrender and lowered himself to his knees. The chaos around Hancock made it hard to hear what the man wielding the gun was yelling. There was an insane look in his eyes. The gun-wielder looked jovial, almost happy that he was about to shoot another man point blank. The man on his knees surrendering was wearing the big battle jacket. Was it Maxson? He had never actually seen Elder Maxson, only heard rumors about him, so he wasn't sure who was on the ground. It didn't help that both men were shrouded in shadows._

 _It was at that moment that Hancock realized who the blue blur running towards the two men was. It was Nora, and she was ignoring the yells of Piper, who was running behind her. Nora ran toward the two men, shouting for one of them to stop. She carried something in her arms, but Hancock couldn't make out what is was. At that moment, a radstorm gathered above them, with rain falling down._

" _Rain will wash away the sins of one, but reveal the sins of another. Great men hide greater secrets…" Mama Murphy finally looked up at Hancock, her eyes blank white balls of light. The world looked like it was starting to shake, but not in the sense of an earthquake. "Ahh, and here comes the good part." She smiled her lucid smile and bowed her head. "See you on the other side, kid…"_

 _The vision started to blur even more, until Hancock felt his head hurt. The vision started to shake and soon light pierced through the chaos. Hancock's vision went dark…_

"Mayor Hancock!" a voice shouted nearby. "Mayor Hancock, can you hear me?"

Hancock felt something wet on his cheek as he opened his eyes. The wet object belonged to Dogmeat, who sat on his hind legs when Hancock started to move. There were three other figures in the room that Hancock started making out as his vision cleared.

He was back in his office, almost on the floor. He blinked a few times and was surprised to see Doctor Amari standing over him. She shooed Dogmeat away and smacked Hancock's cheeks a few times to bring him back to consciousness. Amari looked like she was about to reach into her bag for something. Hancock sat straight up and refused the syringe of whatever Amari had brought to bring him down.

Fahrenheit stood over him on the other side, her arms crossed. "You started convulsing and mumbling, so I went to get Amari. These three were walking out of the Memory Den when I arrived."

Hancock looked over and saw Nora and Piper standing behind Doctor Amari. Nora didn't seem surprised to see Hancock wearing the jacket, but he could tell she was mad that he wore is while getting into one of his stupors. "How is he, Doctor?" Nora asked, taking her disapproving gaze off Hancock.

"He'll live, but he might have a headache for a little while." Doctor Amari said, packing up her bag. Doctor Amari wasn't much of a physician, as brains and memories were her specialty. But she knew enough to help anyone who needed it. "Fred Allen's insane concoctions are going to get someone killed." Amari mumbled angrily, turning to face Hancock. "I gave you a detoxification agent before you woke up, so you should be fine. I'd ask if you've learned your lesson, but I won't kid myself thinking you have, Mayor Hancock."

Hancock nodded appreciatively, jokingly told Amari to send him her bill, and stood up with the help of Fahrenheit. Hancock cleared his throat and looked at Nora with what she assumed were apologetic eyes. "Hey, can you two give me a minute alone with Fahrenheit?" he asked.

Nora reluctantly nodded. "We'll be downstairs. I'll come back up in a few minutes."

When Doctor Amari left, followed by Nora and Piper, Hancock tried to order the events he saw in his head. He told Fahrenheit what he had seen, through slow breaths and puffs of a cigarette. Hancock had seen many great and disturbing things while high, but this was a new one to him.

"You think the vision was prophetic?" Fahrenheit asked, though she had that _you-were-high-so-I-don't-believe-you_ look on her face.

"It was something, that's for sure." Hancock answered. "I liked the high, don't get me wrong, but that was too intense for me."

"Said the man who once drank watered down cleaning fluid." said Fahrenheit.

"If it's said by the man that nearly killed himself to get high off cleaning fluid, than you know it's bad. Tell Fred that stuff is garbage." Hancock stood up and straightened himself out. It was then he noticed he was still wearing the battle coat. "When did I put this on?"

"You've been wearing it this entire time. You never took it off. In fact, you haven't taken it off since you took it from Kent." Fahrenheit looked like she was getting sick of seeing the coat. Ever since Hancock started wearing it, he became more reckless. Normally, she wouldn't mind, but this time with the supposed premonition…

Hancock stared at the sleeve of the jacket and immediately took it off, throwing it to the couch. Timing it perfectly, a soft knock came from the one closed door to Hancock's office. It was Kent Connolly, making sure it was safe to come on. "I came with Doc Amari and the Shroud. They told me to st-stay downstairs until Amari was done. I was coming over anyway to get the jacket back. Daisy's caravans came through and I got everything I need to fix it up."

Fahrenheit pointed to the jacket on the couch and went back to tending to Hancock. Kent was a little scared of Fahrenheit, though he had no reason to be. He slowly went to the couch and picked up the jacket. He looked it over and then looked at Hancock. Hancock was lurched over the sink like he just ate something bad. Kent didn't say another word. He grabbed the jacket and rushed out.

"Are you going to tell Vault Girl?" Fahrenheit asked, putting her hand on her hip.

Hancock only shrugged. "She's entertained my inane drug fueled ramblings before, so I don't think she'll believe me. Even so…" Hancock sighed and leaned against the sink. "I doubt any good will come from me telling her I saw half of Boston burning in a Jet infused high. It feels wrong not to tell her, but I'd rather give her a more complete vision than just inane rambling. Fahrenheit, I need to take a trip."

Fahrenheit raised an eyebrow. "You are going to follow Vault Girl around again?" she asked, crossing her arms again.

"No, this is a solo trip. Don't tell Nora where I'm heading, she'll want to follow me and make sure I'm alright. I don't need her hounding me right now." Hancock went over to a broken cabinet and took out his old red coat, which he had gotten back from Kent after he patched up a few holes in it. "I'm going to Sanctuary to see an old woman about something. If anyone asks, tell them I stepped out for a bit and I'll be back soon."

At the Memory Den, Nora and Piper sat waiting on the steps of Irma's stage. Kent told Nora that sewing the sleeve back on with the right materials shouldn't take as long as he originally told them, now that he had a general idea of the material itself. Dogmeat wagged his tail to the hum of a memory pod nearby. Besides the hum of the machines, the Memory Den was quiet.

"I've never seen Hancock so…unenthusiastic about a chem he just took." Nora said, after a few minutes of silence.

"You act like you haven't found him unconscious on the floor before." Piper retorted.

"True. But it looked like something was really bothering him. He looked like he saw a ghost." Nora leaned forward and hugged her knees.

"I've heard Fred Allen's chems are mostly experimental." Piper said, leaning against the steps. "Maybe the junkies in Diamond City are spoiled from the stuff at Chem-I-Care."

"They're not a heavy users like Hancock, though. Most people in Diamond City are just casual users. Like we used to have casual smokers in my time."

"People still smoke, but cigarettes are hard to come by."

"I found three cartons of Grey Tortoise brand cigarettes in that last house we scavenged."

"In Diamond City, we don't have random houses to loot."

"I'll give you that one. But still, Hancock wasn't as happy to see us as I thought he'd be." Nora stared at the ceiling, not sure what she was hoping to find. She had never come to Scollay Square much when it was a thriving entertainment district. Most of the places were too much of a hole-in-the-wall for her liking. Most of the places now really _were_ holes-in-the-wall. "After we're done here, we'll go see Hancock again. I'd like to have a chat with him before we head out."

As if on cue, Kent walked out of his room, the big coat draped over his arms. Dogmeat barked happily and ran to him. Kent smiled down at the happy dog and walked over to Nora and Piper. "It didn't take as long as I'd thought, so I decided to give it a little more stopping power. I added an extra layer of the thin ballistic f-fiber, and I patched up the inside so it keeps you warmer since winter is coming. The sleeve was probably the easiest part of the repair job, but to be safe I used some extra strong threads. The same ones I used to repair your Shroud costume."

Nora happily took the jacket and slipped it on. It still smelled like Elder Maxson, which she found comforting and unhinging at the same time. "It looks great, Kent. Thank you." She said, with a smile.

"I took the liberty of cleaning it, too. Just a simple wipe down on the external leather with some old car seat cleaning solution I grabbed from Daisy's. The bottle said it cleans t-tough stains out of leather interior, so I figured it would work on the jacket as well." Kent smiled proudly at his handy work as Nora turned around to get the light better.

Nora stopped and smiled at Piper, who was clapping sarcastically. Nora bent down, reached into her pack, and pulled out a small bag of caps. "Here, for all your hard work. Thank you, Kent."

When they walked out of the Memory Den, Nora couldn't help but notice the sly look Piper was giving her. "You're fond of that little dork, aren't you?" she asked.

Nora smiled sadly. "He is a reminder that people still dream, even after the apocalypse. Sometimes, a dream can be a saving grace. Even if it is impossible to achieve."

Piper put her arm around Nora's shoulders and brought her in close for a hug. "I saw the Silver Shroud personally take down a raider boss AND his gang before saving the kidnapped victim. I'd say that dream was achieved and then some."

The two women laughed and made their way to Hancock's building. They were stopped by an argument between Fahrenheit and MacCready. MacCready wanted to see Hancock about something (possibly something of legal ambiguity), and Fahrenheit wouldn't movie out of the way.

"What do you mean he's 'stepped out'?" MacCready asked, his voice getting loud. "Is that another one of his code words for passed out in a chem stupor?"

"Stepped out means stepped out." Fahrenheit said. She rarely ever raised her voice. "He needed a breather and he decided to run an errand while doing so."

"I doubt he went down the street to get groceries and a pack of smokes. Where did he go and when will he be back?" MacCready, on the other hand, had the patience of a hungry dog watching it's owner slowly scoop out food.

Fahrenheit just stood there, her arms crossed. "I can't say when he'll be back. He said he had to see an old woman about something in Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Nora said, surprising MacCready but not Fahrenheit. "What on Earth is Hancock going all the way to Sanctuary alone?"

Fahrenheit liked Nora more than she liked MacCready, but only marginally. Nora had helped Hancock and the people of Goodneighbor on multiple occasions, so she was more amicable to her. "He didn't want me to say, so I'll just give you the rough details. One of Fred Allen's chems made him see something he didn't like. Apparently there is someone in Sanctuary that might be able to help him make heads or tails of it."

Not able to get any more out of Fahrenheit, Nora left the capitol building with Piper and MacCready following behind. "Well, so much for renegotiating his cut for my 'side business'." MacCready lamented. Nora figured he gave Hancock a cut off the freelance mercenary jobs he took at the Third Rail. "I told him Fred's chems are going to kill him one of these days, but hallucinating enough to make you travel all the way across the Commonwealth is a new one."

"The only person I know that sees things while high out of her gourd is Mama Murphy." Nora mumbled, trying to think.

MacCready had met Mama Murphy once and she tried to get chems off him with the promise of using "The Sight" to see his future. MacCready wasn't a believer in any of that, so he told her to go away. "Why on Earth would he want to go see that crazy old bat? Woman's half-way off her rocker."

Nora shrugged. "Well, I learned a while ago to let Hancock be Hancock. He seems to have a good system for his chem use. If it were Cait, I'd be more concerned."

There was a name MacCready hadn't heard in a good while. Nobody knew where Cait had gone off to after leaving the Combat Zone. She stayed around Nora for a while, but struck off on her own with barely a goodbye. Nora was hoping to help Cait clean up her act and she knew being as far away from the city proper would be the best bet. Cait didn't take to living in Sanctuary, so she left one morning before anyone was up. MacCready could understand her restlessness and even he agreed that the peaceful Sanctuary Hills could be suffocating.

"Since you've obviously got nothing better to do, why not come with us, MacCready?" Piper asked, as they stopped at the gate. "We're thinking about heading toward the Castle and we could use the cover."

MacCready didn't like the thought of escorting two ladies across the Commonwealth. But it was also true that he was tired of sitting in that back room waiting for work. And, if truth be told, MacCready was hoping this little traveling threesome might become another type of threesome during a cold night on the road. He had enough bathtub gin in his pack should things turn the right way. Of course, he was terrible at hiding his intentions because the looks Piper and Nora gave him shot down that hope all together.

"Two conditions." MacCready said. "One, I want to get paid my usual rate, food and drink included."

"Friends and family discount and we don't make you pour out that bathtub hooch we know you've got stashed away." Piper countered.

MacCready sighed. "Fine. But payment up front."

Nora reached into her own pack and pulled out a small leather purse. As she counted, Piper looked up at the sky. Rain was coming. "Do you ever feel like something bigger is going on in the background and we just don't know it?" she asked, watching the clouds gather.

MacCready shrugged. "I try not to think about it. Fogs my thinking and then I get depressed. Hence the bathtub hooch."

"I feel like there is something going on and my article just scratched the surface." Piper looked over at MacCready, who was trying to hold back childish laughter.

"Oh, it scratched something for me, I can promise you that." MacCready sputtered, pulling down his hat in a vain attempt to hide his blush. "It was a doozy to read. Had to get another copy from Daisy after mine got a little sticky." MacCready laughed. He tried to stop when he saw Nora glaring at him. His laugh tittered a bit but he kept it at a soft chuckle.

Piper cleared her throat and continued. "I stand by everything I publish. But something tells me this article has pushed something into motion that won't be easy to stop."

"Besides Maxson sending out his goons to confiscate every copy of the Publick they come across?" Nora said, standing up and tossing some caps to MacCready. He caught the tiny bag they were in and stashed it in an inner pocket of his coat.

"What Miss Wright means is I'll probably be traveling with you two for a while. Or it'll lead to that, anyway. Maxson's tin soldiers are all over the Commonwealth and even if finding you two isn't a priority, they'll still hassle you. Not saying you two are defenseless, I mean, I've seen this one take down a Super Mutant with just a snub-nosed .44 pistol." MacCready pointed to Nora with a wink and smile. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of eyes. At least until you get to the Castle, anyway. But are you sure you want to be that close to Brotherhood territory? Not that I don't have faith in the Minutemen, but there is only so much that laser muskets can do against power armor should the Brotherhood decide to make a neighborly visit."

Nora sighed and brought the coat closer when a breeze came over the gate. "I have something I need to check on. I am the General after all."

MacCready could see there was more to it from the look on Nora's face, but he decided not to get into it. He looked down at Dogmeat, who was panting anxiously. "What do you say, boy? Want to help me protect these lovely damsels?"

Dogmeat gave an affirmative bark and let MacCready pet him. The group started to leave Goodneighbor, but Nora suddenly stopped. "Hey, you never said what condition number two was."

MacCready smiled devilishly. "Oh right. Condition number two…" MacCready looked Nora up and down, but not in a lustful way. "You let me wear that awesome jacket!"

* * *

 **Hi, hi, everyone!**

 **Sorry this chapter is so late. I know I said I wanted to keep this story updating regularly, but there has been so much going on that I've barely had time to even play Fallout 4 let alone write a fan fic about it. I've recently gone up for a promotion at my job and most of my time has been training and getting ready for the slew of classes I have to take for it. That, and Christmas is coming up and you all know how that can be.**

 **After the holidays wind down, I hope to be back on a regular updating basis. I'm not sure how long I want this fic to be. It probably won't be my longest, but I do hope to keep it going for a good while. I know there is only so much comedic smut I can get out of two women and a dog traveling around the Commonwealth while avoiding the Brotherhood of Steel. To keep it from getting too flat and repetitive, I'm going to throw in a few side stories concerning other characters, as you've plainly seen with Scribe Haylen contacting the Railroad and checking in on Elder Maxson every so often. All stories, as they often do, will converge at the end.**

 **So, it'll be MacCready's turn with the jacket for a little while. Who do you think should get the jacket next? Well, why don't you leave me a review and tell me? And while you're at it, tell me how I did and I'll do my best to get these chapters out faster.**

 **Next chapter: While MacCready and Dogmeat keep watch, Nora and Piper discuss their next course of action while avoiding some tough questions.**

 **You know the drill! Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout 4 belongs to Bethesda.**


	8. Memories of You

_The Battle Coat_

Memories of You

Another stick kept the fire going, but the sprinkling rain wasn't helping much. It was nights like this that made Nora wish weather reports still existed. Meteorology in the New Commonwealth meant sticking one's hand out the window and, provided it wasn't bitten or shot off, pulling it back in to see if it was wet. She had hoped the clouds from earlier meant it was just going to be overcast, but she was never that lucky.

Half of the roof on the building they were camping in tonight had crumbled away, which was both good and bad for the campfire. Good because they wouldn't suffocate from smoke inhalation, bad because it was sprinkling rain. While Piper stirred the contents of the small cooking pan into a stew, Nora laid out the sleeping bags a good distance away. Three sleeping bags, despite one person insisting he'd stay up to keep watch. The building they were squatting in would be an abandoned office building and not a house, so it was sleeping bags on the hard cement floor.

"Why couldn't be find a dilapidated house or something?" Piper asked, tapping the side of the bowl with the stick she was stirring the stew with.

"It was getting dark and the rain was coming. We didn't have time to look for more favorable accommodations." Nora chuckled, sitting on her sleeping bag. "I don't like traveling the city at night, anyway. Especially in the rain. Didn't care for it much before the world ended, either."

Piper conceded the point mostly because she was too tired to argue. Dogmeat sniffed the air and wagged his tail at the simmering stew. The nights were getting colder and Nora wondered if snow was still a thing in the post-apocalypse. For all she knew, it was probably radioactive.

"It'll still be a day or so before we reach The Castle." said a voice by a broken window. MacCready sat in a chair by the window, doing his part by keeping watch. His gun was leaning against the wall. "This rain will slow us down if it turns into a radstorm."

"Radstorms normally precede rain though, right?" Nora asked, leaning back on her hands.

"Normally." MacCready said, reaching for his gun. "Sometimes, radstorms just happen. I'll keep an eye out on the storm tonight."

Shrugging, Pipe and Nora turned their attention back to the stew. It was mostly vegetables they traded for at one of the local settlements, but it was still something. They didn't make a lot, because they didn't have enough rations to spare with any stragglers that happened to be scavenging in the area.

Nora looked over at MacCready, sitting on the wobbly stool wearing Elder Maxson's jacket keeping his gun on nothing in particular. He had a pensive look on his face that reminded her of Danse. Danse always had a look on his face that made Nora think he was contemplating every minor thing. He probably was, for all she knew. She knew very well how soldiers thought. She was married to one before the world turned into a giant graveyard.

When Piper declared that the stew was ready, MacCready barely moved. With bowls they found in a downstairs breakroom, Piper served the stew, letting it's comforting aroma waft through the air. The smell was bit off to Nora, but it was still vegetable stew. It reminded her of her first year married to Nate, living in that dinky apartment above a bar in Concord. She was still in law school and he was in the army. Money was tight, so Nora made do with what she could get. Vegetable stew made from the cheap vegetables from the Sunshine Tidings Co-op a little ways out of town.

Piper could tell Nora wasn't focused on her dinner. "Hey, Blue, you alright?" Piper asked, dipping her bent spoon into the steaming stew.

Nora shook herself out of the memory and only smiled. "I made vegetable soup a lot before Nate and I bought our home." She sighed, just stirring her soup. "I was still in college, law school actually. He had just joined the army and wasn't bringing much in yet. With me as a full-time student, our funds were limited to his paycheck and whatever my family sent us. A friend of Nate's owned a bar in Concord and let us have a studio space above the bar for cheap. Until we saved up enough to buy a house. The Sunshine Tidings Co-op used to be this 'all-natural farm' of sorts."

"It kind of still is." joked MacCready from his stool. So, Nora's suspicions that he was listening were correct. "I mean, if you count all the crap that you helped replant for the Minutemen."

" _Anyway…_ " Nora continued. "I'd go up there and buy their cheapest fruits and vegetables. Mostly the older stuff and the misshapen ones that wouldn't sell. When Nate got home, he'd be greeted by a big steaming pot of homemade vegetable soup. When I finally graduated and he got promoted, we bought the house and our housewarming gift to ourselves was Codsworth." Nora looked down at the floor, as if trying to keep her mind occupied.

"You alright, Blue?" Piper asked, putting her bowl down.

Nora only shrugged. "When he left for the front lines in Anchorage, I was scared. I was in that house all alone, except for Codsworth. Don't get me wrong, Codsworth is good company, but there were nights when I'd wake up and wonder if Nate was alone or if he was eating right. I guess, I kept thinking such petty things to keep myself from wondering if he was still alive or not."

Shifting in his chair, MacCready looked over and saw Piper put her hand on Nora's shoulder. He knew the pain she was going through. He often thought about petty things when trying to distract himself from thinking about his deceased wife, Lucy. He'd distract himself with the next job or whether or not he'd given Hancock his cut from the last one. Anything to keep the memories from flooding in.

"This is the first time you've ever really talked about Nate." Piper said, picking her bowl back up. "Most of the time, you just mention him in passing."

"It's difficult to talk about him without getting upset. Especially after what's happened." Nora gave up on her dinner and put the bowl in front of Dogmeat. Dogmeat happily lapped it up as Nora reached for an unopen bottle of water from her pack. "I don't know if there is a world after this life. If there is, I wonder what Nate would think of everything that's happened. Would he agree with the choices I made? Would he have agreed that certain measures have to be taken?"

Piper wasn't sure what Nora meant by that. Part of her didn't want to know. The first time Nora came back from the Institute, she had said nothing. Piper remembered Nora returning to Sanctuary with Paladin Danse behind her. She remembered Nora putting a gun on the table in the ruins of her home and leaving it there. Piper recognized the gun as the one she picked off Kellogg. What she told Piper later that evening was something Piper would never reveal to anyone. If there was ever a time for confidentiality between friends, this was the time. She didn't go into too much detail, only telling enough to get it off her chest. Everyone wanted to know about the Institute. What was it like? Where there tons of Synths there? What was the leader like? Nora answered none of their questions. Piper took it upon herself to play damage control when the others asked why Nora refused to answer any questions about the Institute. Piper didn't leave Nora's side all night after that. She couldn't risk Nora picking up Kellogg's gun and using it.

"It's hard to measure the true cost of the greater good." MacCready said, keeping his eye on a point in the distance. "What we think is the greater good and what the others think are totally different things. You are under no obligation to anyone's greater good except your own."

Nora sighed. "When they told Nate he was going to Anchorage, they tried to tell him and his squad they were fighting for the greater good. The American way of life was being threatened, but they never really said how or why. Just that he had to go fight for it. I heard over the news about resources and land and all that. I never understood it. Never pretended to. I just try to go about my days as best I could. As any good wife would. As any good All American Wife would do." Nora nearly spit saying that.

Before Nora would say anymore, she felt a pack of cigarettes land in her land. She looked over and saw MacCready reaching for his lighter and tossing it to her as well. "Have a few. I got a few packs to keep me until we reach The Castle."

"Speaking of the Castle…" said Piper, watching Nora toss the pack and lighter back to MacCready. "What exactly are we going to do once we get there? Remember, the Minutemen and the Brotherhood are basically next door neighbors."

"Mostly just check on a few things. Make sure everything is in order. Maybe help reinforce the walls a bit too." Nora mumbled a little and looked around.

"Something tells me we aren't risking life and limb just making sure a bunch of garrisons are still intact. Why are we really going to the Castle?" MacCready asked, sticking a cigarette in his mouth.

"Would this have something to do with Danse?" Piper asked.

MacCready nearly spit out the cigarette he hadn't lit yet. "Danse?! Seriously? We're risking our lives just to check on the Toy Soldier?"

"Don't call him that!" Nora shouted at MacCready. "I offered him a place in the Minutemen and he said he'd think about it. He might not even be at the Castle for all we know. He looked…" Nora was trying to find the right words. She still felt what happened with Danse was her fault. She sighed and looked at the ceiling. "He looked so lost without the Brotherhood and Preston said the Minutemen could use someone with his experience to help train the new recruits."

"If you say so." said MacCready, turning his attention back to the window. "Get some sleep. We have a long walk tomorrow."

Nora slid into her sleeping bag and tried to keep herself from crying. Sleeping on a cold cement floor in a destroyed office building was a far cry from the comfortable queen sized bed she used to share with Nate. Using her pack as a pillow, Nora slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 _Nora opened her eyes with a jolt and looked around. She was home. In her home in her big comfortable bed with the curtains open in her bedroom. It was late afternoon from her estimate of the light coming from the windows. She must have laid down for a nap at some point during the day and just now woke up. "What a strange dream…" she murmured to herself. She could see her neighbor's yard from the window. The grass was green, the trees were green, with a hint of orange with the coming of cold weather. She heard someone shout good afternoon to another person from the street._

 _Nora sat straight up, fixed her hair, and slowly left the bedroom. Everything was clean, organized, and not covered in radioactive dust. She was even wearing a nice pink dress with white slippers and not a dusty, sweaty, armored Vault suit. She heard the television in the living room, some kind of advertisement for Nuka-Cola judging from the jingle at the end of the advert. She looked around, trying to figure things out. Was all of that just a dream? Was the horrific landscape she just fell asleep in all a dream?_

" _You're awake!" said an all too familiar voice. Nora looked over and saw Nate sitting at the kitchen counter, reading a Grognak comic book. Nora's eyes widened. He was alive? Nate was alive! It was all a bad dream and nothing was wrong. Everything was alright. "You must have fallen asleep while I was outside cutting the grass. Cosworth took Shaun out for a walk around the block in the stroller, so we have some time to ourselves before dinner. I told him to keep a look out for that damn dog."_

 _Nora chuckled softly and sat down on the couch. Their dog, which they got a few months before, had a habit of running off. He didn't come back this time, though. Nora was going to go check the pound after the weekend. Wait, was it the weekend already? Nora went to the Vault-Tec calendar posted of the refrigerator and looked at the date. Her hand instantly went to Friday, October 22_ _nd_ _. Strange how she didn't feel a sense of foreboding, at least not a strong one. She looked at Nate, as if she had something important to tell him._

" _You know, the latest episode of 'The Silver Shroud' comes on tonight." Is what Nora said, despite herself. "Are we going to let Shaun stay up and listen to it with us?"_

 _Nate chuckled and closed the comic book. "He's barely a year old, I don't think he understands the nuances of radio shows. But, I do think we should get him used to staying up all evening to listen to it as a little family tradition."_

 _Both laughed at that. Nora went to the refrigerator and peeked into the little window. "Milk still hasn't come yet." She murmured. "Maybe tomorrow."_

" _Oh, I got a call from Hannah earlier while you were napping." Nate said. Hannah was their niece. More specifically, the daughter of Nate's oldest brother. She was a student at Massachusetts Bay University and worked at some comic book store in the city. Nora liked Hannah, despite how chatty the girl could be. She reminded Nora of herself during college. "She wanted to confirm what time to be in Concord tomorrow for the speech. She even asked if she could bring her new boyfriend along."_

 _Nora's eyes widened. "Boyfriend?" she laughed. "Most boys are put off by how fast she talks."_

" _He must be deaf in one ear." Nate laughed as well. "From what she told me, he sounds like a nice kid. Into comic books like she is and they seem to be pretty infatuated with each other. I wonder if Hannah told him that he's her boyfriend yet. She tends to be a little ahead of the boys she likes." Nate leaned back a bit, but not enough to fall over. "I can't believe my parents are coming in for this speech. My brother and his wife, and even our nephew got furlough just to attend this speech. Now, Hannah is bringing her new boyfriend to see me give this speech. No pressure. None at all."_

 _Nora sat on the couch with a laugh and tried to pay attention to the news. Nora twisted the wedding band on her finger while thinking of the best way to word what she was about to say. "So, you won't believe this, but I had the craziest dream while I was napping."_

" _Oh?" said Nate, not turning around from his place at the counter._

" _Yeah, it was so weird. I dreamt that the world had ended and we were frozen for over two hundred years!" Nora laughed, looking out the window. "I made friends with so many strange characters. I tell you, the entire premise was ridiculous. It even had me having an affair with a high ranking officer in some post-apocalyptic army!"_

 _Nate turning around at that. He looked surprised. "Oh really?" he teased. Nate knew Nora would never cheat on him, but he liked to tease her anyway. "Was he better than me?"_

 _With a laugh, Nora slapped her thigh. "Nate, don't be like that. It was only a dream."_

" _No, I'm serious!" Nate chuckled, getting up to sit next to her on the couch. "What's his name? Should I be jealous?"_

 _Nora laughed. "Maxson." Is all she said._

" _Maxson?" Nate said curiously. "I met a Roger Maxson before I went to Anchorage. He was assigned to California and my squad was sent to Anchorage. I think he said something about being assigned security detail at some science facility. Couldn't go into details about it. Apparently hush-hush stuff. I've told you about Captain Maxson before, haven't I?"_

 _Nora thought for a moment. "I think so. You didn't serve with him. More of a two ships passing in the night type of deal. Your squad and his were killing time during a layover in the middle of the country."_

 _Nate put his arm around Nora's shoulder. She felt comforted by this. It was like being wrapped in a blanket after a bad day. It was familiar and welcomed. She looked out the window and felt awestruck. Nora's eyes widened when she saw the orange-red light of the setting sky. The homes were perfect. Nothing was falling apart and nothing was in ashes. Her neighbors were walking around as if nothing was wrong. Because nothing was wrong. Nora got up and walked to the window. Mrs. Rosa across the street was getting her mail from the mailbox, as she often did when she came home from work and from picking up her teenage son. Nora waved as Mrs. Rosa walked around her car to the trunk to get her groceries. Mrs. Rosa looked up and happily waved back, as she always did._

 _At that moment, Codsworth came back inside, looking like he just got a wax job over his shiny exterior. "By Jove! It is a scorcher out there! My temperature module told me to end the walk early. Luckily, little Shaun fell asleep and should be easy to put down tonight."_

 _Nora walked over to the stroller and saw little Shaun, as he was, sleeping in the stroller. Nora looked like she was about to cry. Before she could bend down and pick him up, Codsworth left the living room with the stroller humming Rule Britannia as he glided down the hallway._

" _Honey, are you alright?" asked Nate, from the couch._

 _Nora rubbed her head and looked outside again. Nothing but setting sunlight and people coming home from work. Nora nodded. "I must still be tired from earlier."_

 _She heard Nate get up from the couch and wrap his arms around her. It was comforting and it felt right being in Nate's arms. "Is there anything I can get for you?"_

 _Nora shook her head and turned around. She looked deeply into his eyes and hugged him around the midsection. "I already have all I'll ever want or need right here." She sighed happily, burying her face into his broad chest. His smell, his touch, everything was there._

"Lower your weapons!" shouted MacCready from his spot. Nora's eyes jolted open again. She didn't have time to assess what was going on. She didn't have time to sit and cry over losing her husband. MacCready motioned for both Piper and Nora to scoot towards the wall. "I said nice and easy! One good shot is all it takes to pierce that fancy armor! What's your business here?"

"Armor?" Nora sleepily whispered. Piper only shrugged and stayed in the little corner with Nora. Dogmeat growled from his spot by MacCready. Nora then noticed MacCready wasn't wearing the jacket. It was on the floor, as if thrown in a hasty movement.

"We're not here to fight with a wastelander like you!" shouted someone a distance away. The distorted voice sounded like it was coming through a mouthpiece of a power armor helmet. "We're just patrolling the area. We'll do our sweep and be on our way."

"Well, hurry your asses up! We're trying to bed down for the night and we can't sleep with you Brotherhood goons clanging around." MacCready kept his gun on the soldiers coming toward them.

A headlamp turned on and big metal footsteps made their way around the building, followed by two sets of boots. "Blue, do you think they're after us?" Piper asked.

Nora shook her head. "I doubt it. Brotherhood sometimes sends teams out to scour ruins for supplies or to clear out Ghouls and other so-called 'abominations'. If they were specifically looking us for, they would have asked if he'd seen us. Still, they might have been told to keep a lookout for us."

What probably only lasted a minute or so felt like hours to Nora. She heard clanging power armor outside and then inside as well. MacCready told them to stay outside, holding his gun up. The soldiers did as they were told and stayed around the perimeter. When the metal footsteps lumbered away with the others, Nora sunk against the wall.

"Okay, they're gone. Must be a camp or something over that hill." said MacCready, looking through his scope. "I didn't see any Vertibird fly in, so it must have been here. This one's my fault, girls. I should have checked better."

"It was raining and we didn't have time for a proper perimeter check." said Nora. She went back to her sleeping bag and started getting back in.

MacCready put the jacket back on just as a chilly wind wafted through the building. He only glanced back a few times to check on Piper and Nora. He could see Nora was having trouble getting comfortable. He tried to keep his eyes on the hill, just to make sure the soldiers didn't come back.

"Blue, you okay?" he heard Piper whispered.

"No, not really." Nora whispered back. "Damn Brotherhood. Why did they have to show up now? Just when…"

"Just when…?" Piper sat up on her arms.

"…just when Nate was alive and everything was fine for the first time since I woke up in this hellscape. Two things I hate the Brotherhood for, now." Nora turned over again and faced the wall. After a while, the two finally fell asleep.

MacCready knew the night would be a long one. He could see the rain clouds coming back. "Risking life and limb for the toy soldier isn't what I had in mind for this trip." MacCready whispered to Dogmeat, who was asleep at his feet. "Brotherhood patrols are getting more frequent, and now that she's on their most wanted list, we're basically walking around with targets on our backs. We'll have to wake up early if we want to beat any more patrols in the area. They are more frequent in the rural areas than they are in the city proper. If we stay close to Minutemen aligned areas, we should be fine."

Looking out at the horizon, MacCready wondered if it was all worth it in the end. He looked over at Nora, sleeping soundly with Piper in a sleeping bag next to her. He sighed, stood up, and walked over to the sleeping girls. Dogmeat woke up long enough to see MacCready put the big coat over both of them. He knew the pain Nora was going through all too well. It was a pain he wouldn't wish on his worst enemies.

"We've got a long walk tomorrow." He whispered. MacCready perched himself back in his chair and kept watch in the direction the Brotherhood soldiers walked away to. They'd probably be back in the morning, which meant they had to leave before sunrise if they wanted to get anywhere without being hassled.

 _ **Later that morning**_

"Yeah, that matches the description." said one solider to another. "Former Gunner turned freelance. Works out of Goodneighbor, according to our informant there. That brain-eater Hancock supposedly takes a cut for protection purposes." The Brotherhood Knight stood by the big opening in the building on the first floor. They didn't bother using the door when they approached the building that morning. "Name's Robert Joseph MacCready. Goes by RJ or just MacCready also. He made quite a name for himself after he left the Gunners."

The Scribe looked around the building and shook his head. There was nothing of use in this building. From the looks of it, the place had been picked clean years ago. "He mentioned he was with a group in this building. Our informant in Goodneighbor said he saw him leave with two women matching the descriptions of Paladin Howard and Piper Wright. They even had a dog with them. It has to be them. But what would Paladin Howard want with a freelance mercenary?"

The Knight only shrugged. "Probably hired him for protection. Either way, not our concern. We were told to keep an eye out, not approach or chase after them. I'll call in our position and let the higher ups know they were here. Wherever they are going, they couldn't have gotten far."

Hearing footsteps coming down the nearby staircase, the Knight and the Scribe looked over, hoping for news. "Nothing upstairs." said an Initiate. "Fire's out and all that's left is cigarette butts by the window. They must have packed up camp and left around sunrise. If there was any salvage here, they took it with them. I don't imagine they came away with much. As open as this building is, any good salvage had to have been emptied out already."

Two Initiates started walking back to camp as the Knight and Scribe talked. "Why are we wasting our time chasing after this woman?" One Initiate asked another when they were out of earshot of the Knight and Scribe. "We were on a scouting mission and then all of a sudden we get orders over the radio to keep a look out for some merc and two women?"

"You haven't heard about the article?" asked the other initiate.

"The article?" the first Initiate asked. "Ohhh… _THE_ article! I heard about it, but I've never gotten my hands on one. I figured it was just another overblown piece of Commonwealth gossip."

Making sure they were away from their CO and the rest of the group, the Initiate pulled a stack of papers out of his pack. "Don't tell them I have this."

"Is that…" the first initiate hesitated, but grabbed it. "I heard Ingram say to turn over any copies we have to her to be destroyed. 'Knight of Passion! My Elder, My Lover!'. How did you get a hold of this?"

"I bought it off that trader we passed by before we set up camp yesterday. I've already read it." The second initiate chuckled with a blush. "It's a doozy of a story. Elder Maxson wants us to find Paladin Howard because she supposedly has sensitive Brotherhood information and went AWOL after the Danse incident. But I think he just wants to mend his broken pride." The second initiate looked back and saw the Knight and the Scribe walking toward them. "Hide that. Read it when you get some time alone."

The two initiates walked back to camp with haste, snickering to each other like two squires who just played a prank.

* * *

 **Hi, hi everyone! I know, I'm late. I won't bore you with semantics.**

 **I've decided to do away with the Campfire Chatter chapters. It's filler, so no need to give it special treatment. I've got a lot in store for you this coming up spring and summer so strap yourselves in and feel the G's!**

 **This chapter, I wanted to explore Nora's relationship with her deceased husband, Nate. Nate, as you obviously know, died in the Vault and it's not something she's having an easy time getting over. One of Nora's main struggles in this story will not just be narrowly escaping Maxson's goons at every turn or getting the coat back from whatever companion has "borrowed" it, but also her inner turmoil over whether she has truly gotten over Nate's death and the end of the world as she knew it.**

 **And before you ask, yes this story does intertwine with my other Fallout fic "Silver Lining". If you haven't read it, go do that. I wouldn't call this a sequel or a spin-off. They just exist in the same Fallout universe that exists in my head.**

 **So, before I rush out the door to work, tell me how I did! I enjoy reading reviews and I like hearing from my readers! And don't worry, the smut will return in a few chapters.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	9. Diamond City Noire

_The Battle Coat_

Diamond City Noire

" _Nick!" whispered a voice beside the sleeping detective. Nick Valentine groggily sat up and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to wake up. The lights from downtown shown through his window and kept him from going back to sleep. Or maybe it was Jenny, poking him with the phone receiver. Jenny, in her blue silk nightgown and her hair a mess in curlers, held up the receiver of the phone on their nightstand. "Nick, it's the Captain. He says it's urgent."_

 _Detective Valentine looked at the alarm clock and noted it was three thirty in the morning. Nick shuffled to the center of the bed and took the phone from Jenny. Jenny sat across from him, hugging her pillow and hoping he wouldn't ask her to leave the room. "Yeah, Chief?" Nick asked, still groggy. "What? You woke me up at three thirty in the morning for a holotape?" Nick sighed and stood up, still holding the phone to his ear. "No, no. Give me about a half hour, I'll be right down."_

 _Jenny watched Nick put the phone down and scramble to find a shirt and pants. "What's going on?" she asked, scratching an itch under one of her curlers._

 _There was only so much Nick was allowed to reveal about the case he was working on. But he trusted Jenny. "Another break in the Winter case. Some reporter for the Bugle came bustling into the Cambridge Station looking like he'd seen a ghost. They questioned the poor bastard for hours and finally let him go back home just before they called. He found a package in front of his apartment door when he came home and the voice on the tape was definitely Winter. They sent it to South Boston station and now they want me to come down and give them my two cents."_

 _Jenny watched Nick bustle about the bedroom, putting on his suit and long jacket. It wasn't very cold, but it was still good to have a jacket in Boston. "South Boston? At this hour?" Jenny asked, still hugging the pillow._

 _Nick looked over and smiled. "Tell me about it. Listen, I don't know how long I'll be. I might not be back until early evening. If you want, I can try and sneak out early so we can catch a flick and some dinner."_

 _With a sad smile, Jenny shook her head. "I won't stand in your way, Nick. You came to Boston to do a job, and you're the best at it. I'll be fine. Just promise to call if you'll be late for dinner."_

 _Nick knew he was lucky to have a woman like Jennifer Lands. He couldn't wait to take her back to Chicago with him. He was ready for this case to be done with. He knew she was eager to start planning their wedding and he wanted to start looking for a tux to rent. With a smirk, Nick leaned down and kissed Jenny's cheek before bustling out the bedroom door. He could faintly hear Jenny telling him to take an umbrella, as it was supposed to rain that day._

Nick's eyes jolted open when he heard footsteps bustling around the office. The sound of rain hitting the correlated tin roof kept Nick from going back to sleep, though. Old Nick's memories sometimes snuck into his mind as dreams during recharge time. Nick felt his head and noticed his hat was gone. Nick looked on the floor and saw his wayward hat. He picked it up and plopped it back on his head. He sighed, stretched, and tried not to think about the recent surge of recurring memories that belonged to the old Detective Valentine. He had a job to do. A new day was upon the city and in a few minutes, Valentine Detective Agency would be open for business.

Nick Valentine was the only Synth allowed in Diamond City, which was fine with him and the citizens. He was a self-proclaimed prototype, looking like a bridge between the modern human-like Synths and the nut-and-bolts foot soldiers the Institute made before. Parts of his fake skin had peeled off (or been shot off) long ago and he often joked that he looked like he'd been chewed up and spit out by a Deathclaw. He still found it amazing that he could convince some people that he is just a really sick Ghoul.

Routine was the word of the week at Valentine Detective Agency. At 6:30am, Nick woke up from what he counts as sleep. He actually had no need for sleep, but he liked to relax his systems for a few hours so he wouldn't exhaust himself during the day. The newer models needed sleep, he noticed. They were designed to be more human, from the ability to eat, the need for sleep, and even breathing.

At about 6:45, Ellie, Nick's assistant, usually came bustling in. Ellie Perkins was the backbone of Nick's agency. Without Ellie, all of Nick's case notes would still be in little piles all over the office. He hired her a few years before when his case load became too much for him. Nick was normally stumbling over to his desk when Ellie walked in, and today was no exception. She was humming "Rain, Rain, Go Away" as she readied the office for the day.

"Good morning, Nick!" Ellie fluted. She didn't actually expect a response back. He normally grumbled and sat down. Again, today was no exception. Nick didn't know how Ellie could be so positive on this dreary rainy morning, or any morning for that matter, but she was a morning person through and through. Ellie started preparing the coffee pot on the hot plate and walked over to Nick with the day's case load. Most of Nick's cases consisted of finding the usual runaway husband or dead body found in the middle of the market cases the guards couldn't be bothered with.

The last few months had been more adventure than Nick preferred. It started with the typical missing persons case. What started with a worried father coming to the Valentine Detective Agency with every cap he had to his name nearly on bended knee begging for the old Synth to find his daughter turned into two weeks of Nick sitting in a Vault-Tec Vault listening to Gangster-wannabes try to act tough. He figured they would never realize he didn't need food or water and get bored and let him go. Skinny Malone would never let them kill Nick Valentine.

Maybe it was destiny or Nick's patience paying off, but he did eventually get out of that damn vault. Detective stories normally ended with the grizzled detective rescuing the pretty girl, not the other way around. When Nora walked into the Overseer's office with Dogmeat following her, Nick knew he was about to make a new friend. Any friend of Dogmeat's was a friend of his.

Nora Howard went by many names. The Minutemen roaming around addressed her as General. Piper Wright, the proprietor of Diamond City's only newspaper and resident troublemaker, affectionately called her Blue (mostly because of the Vault-Tec jumpsuit she still wears from time to time after leaving Vault 111). The radio called her the Vault Dweller, though caravanneers from out west claim that title belongs to someone else. She was unofficially dubbed the Sole Survivor by those who heard the horrible tale of the Vault she came from. Some of the patrolling soldiers from the Brotherhood of Steel still called her Knight, or more recently Paladin, despite her not being active with their ranks anymore. The residents of Goodneighbor called her The Silver Shroud, though to be fair, only Kent Connolly called her that.

Whatever name she went by, Nick knew Nora had a story to tell the moment they met. When they returned to Diamond City together, Ellie was ecstatic. Her boss and her job were safe. Ellie had given Nick the same warning she always have him when he came back from a dangerous case: "You keep laughing at death, one day death is going to laugh right back."

Nick, of course, laughed at that.

Over time, Nora went from being a client to a friend. He was there when they stormed Fort Hagan looking for Kellogg. He was there when the Prydwen flew overhead, announcing to the entire Commonwealth that there was a new power coming onto the scene. The scene would have been awe-inspiring if it hadn't filled Nick with cold dread. He decided to stay in Sanctuary when Nora announced that she was going to the Brotherhood about getting into The Institute. Nick thought it was a stupid idea, but still waved goodbye when Nora left Sanctuary for Cambridge. Nick stayed around Sanctuary for a bit after Nora had returned from the Institute at the Brotherhood of Steel's behest. The entire journey had taken an emotional toll on Nora and he wanted to make sure she would be alright.

Nick wasn't sure if Nora got what she wanted. She never told him what happened at the Institute, despite being the only non-Synth in ten years to find its location and how to get there. Nora actually didn't say much of anything about the Institute. When the astonished disapproval from the others followed, Nora still said nothing. Nick and Piper took it upon themselves to play damage control when the others asked why. What was done was done, and only Nick, Piper, and Nora knew the truth. She later told Nick the Brotherhood was just a means to an end. Nick wondered if she was serious, but never knew her to lie. At least, not to him.

"Any word from Nora?" Nick asked, though he wasn't sure if Ellie was actually listening. He was sure she knew about the Publick Occurrences article. Piper's article, despite being almost weeks old, was still the talk of the town, probably the entire Commonwealth. Nick was surprised how well the article did. He still heard requests for it whenever he and Ellie ran errands near the entrance of the city. Nick wondered if the aftermath would get to a point that neither Piper nor Nora could control.

"Last I heard, she was busy getting the Minutemen back in shape." Ellie said, plopping some folders on Nick's desk. The glint in her eye said she knew more, but said nothing. Nick nodded, appreciating her delicacy regarding the biggest piece of Commonwealth gossip since the Broken Mask event, and searched for a pack of cigarettes. He didn't need to smoke, but his "old self" as he liked to call it needed the nicotine rush. Nick fumbled with the lighter a bit. "Some of those Minutemen roaming around town said she recruited a new lieutenant. Someone named Danse."

Nick nearly spit out his smoke at that. Danse, formally Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel, was a hard-as-nails soldier. Well, ex-soldier at this point. Nick and Danse got along like oil and water: they could sit together pretty harmlessly, but a little fire could spell disaster. Nick admired Danse for his dedication to the soldier's life but hated him for his loyalty to everything the Brotherhood stood for. Despite the obvious reason Danse was banished from the Brotherhood, he was still hostile to most Synths.

"Old habits die hard, especially with soldiers." Nora told Nick that after she told everyone the big news. She knew it would take some time before Danse fell out of Paladin mode and into regular Commonwealth Wastelander mode. Nora assured Nick that eventually Danse will stop treating him like furniture and see Nick as a friend. Nick wasn't going to hold his breath, even if he had that ability. When Nick declared he was returning to Diamond City, whether or not Danse would be returning to civilian life was the last thing on his mind.

"What do you know about him?" Nick asked, searching for the lighter he dropped.

"Only what those Minutemen said. I heard 'General Nora' had him brought in to the help train new recruits and that he's tough on them." Ellie grabbed the lighter that slid toward the door and put it back on Nick's desk. "I don't know much about this Danse guy, but from what you've told me, training new recruits seems to be right up his alley."

"Well, there's _something_ stuck up his alley, that much is true." Nick mumbled. "Well, whatever helps him wake up in the morning. So, any new cases?"

Ellie pointed at the stack on the corner of his desk and went back to rummaging through a file cabinet. "You know," Ellie started, pulling a folder out from the middle of the drawer. "…you and this Danse character might actually get along if you tried. From what you told me, you're both Synths. And yes, I know that's not enough to base a friendship on, but maybe you could give him some guidance."

Nick laughed a bit when he picked up the top file. "Danse is not an easy person to get close to, just ask Nora." Nick opened the folder, but didn't read anything inside. "The man dedicates his life to the Brotherhood of Steel, sheds blood for them, kills for them, sacrifices everything for them, and they treat him like dirt. Don't even give him a chance to explain himself. That maniac Maxson orders his death on the grounds that he _might_ be a Synth. No fair trial, just take him out to the field and shoot him. I think that's what really made Nora abandon the Brotherhood."

Ellie decided not to get into that. Nick didn't want to spoil his day thinking about Danse and opened the first folder on his desk. Another day, another missing person or stolen "heirloom" or dead body found in the water supply. Nick loved his job, but he couldn't help but feel he had hit a rough patch. He knew not every case was going to be a recently unfrozen pre-war vault dweller looking for her lost kid, but he could hope, anyway.

The day was slow, so Nick had time to look over the cases. By mid-afternoon, Ellie had finished her filing and was about to leave. It was still raining, by the sound of water hitting tin above them. "I'm going into the market to run errands." Ellie said, grabbing a head scarf and wrapping it around her dirty blonde up-do. "Do you have your list?"

"Yeah, pick up some milk, eggs, and sugar bombs. Also, see if my dry cleaning is ready." Nick joked.

Ellie rolled her eyes and left the office, leaving Nick to go over his cases alone. He glanced at the corner of his desk and saw one of the little business cards Ellie talked him into making. With the help of Piper's printing press, Nick had small business cards made so people would know where to find him. Nick thought it was a silly idea, but Ellie insisted. Everyone knew who he was. He was Nick Valentine, the only Synth allowed in Diamond City. If Nick couldn't find it, it wasn't missing. There was no case Nick couldn't solve. Well, there was one case Nick had that had been gnawing at him for years. Ellie was constantly hiding the file, but he found it each time.

Nick made sure Ellie was gone and reached under a box next to his desk. The file of a man known only as The Mysterious Stranger. No one knew who he was, or where he came from, or if it was just one guy. He had seen him once years ago. Nick was in a jam on a case that turned bad fast. He was hired by city security to find out who had been stealing supplies from the city's supply depot. When Nick tracked down a crooked trader to a raider den, things got ugly. Not only was it storming, but a guard dog alerted everyone to Nick's presence. Nick easily dispatched the raiders, but his gun jammed just as the leader came out to see what the commotion was. The leader beat Nick pretty bad and was about to finish him off when a shot from nowhere took him out. Nick saw his guardian angel in a trench coat and fedora standing less than ten feet from him. When Nick got up to thank the guy, the wind blew the heavy rain into his field of vision. When Nick looked up again, the man was gone.

When Nick told the story to one of his few friends in the city at the time a few nights later, a trader restocking at Myrna's store overheard him. The trader claimed to be from out west and had heard stories of the Mysterious Stranger and how he (or she, depending on who you ask), always seemed to come around at important parts in history. Nick's interest was piqued. The trader told Nick that the Mysterious Stranger helped out important figures in the past, meaning Nick had an important role to play in the upcoming years. Nick laughed it off, but it sparked something in him. He began to investigate every lead he could find on this stranger. He became so obsessed with it, that it distracted him from his other cases. Ellie got a little more clever with her hiding spots for the case file. Though, not clever enough as Nick kept finding it.

Nick hadn't thought about what the trader said to him until he met Nora in the Vault. So much had happened in the past few months and he was happy to be back on the beat. He had found out more about himself than he thought any man (Synth or otherwise) should know. Nick chuckled, writing down a note to make a trip up to Far Harbor for "Family Business", and the relaxing in his chair.

In the market, the rain didn't slow down the traders and citizens of Diamond City. Ellie, with her head wrapped to avoid the rain, made her way down the muddy paths and toward the center of the city. The usual hustle and bustle didn't seem to bother Ellie. She was used to the stores shouting their wares, bewildered travelers asking for directions, and the guards basically ignoring everything.

Ellie handed Myrna her list and Myrna scrutinized it. "Buying things for that Synth again?" she hissed, looking over the list again. "Crazy" Myrna was a woman of Asian descent that ran the Surplus. She was overly paranoid and kept her Mr. Handy helper, Percy, on a tight leash. She accused everyone of being either a Synth or on the Institute's payroll. Myrna refused to do business with Nick, so Ellie normally did the shopping.

"If I say no, will it make this already unpleasant shopping experience go by faster?" Ellie asked. Myrna grunted and told Ellie she'll send Percy to the agency with the listed items in an hour.

With time to kill, Ellie decided to get some noodles from Power Noodles. She wanted to see John at the barber, but she didn't want to get a new hairstyle in this rain. Ellie would use her time at the noodle shop in the middle of the city to eat, catch up on the latest gossip around town, and maybe catch some information about some of the cases. Ellie sat down at the noodle stand and ordered one bowl from Takahashi, the protectron that ran it.

 _"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?"_ The robot asked. It was all he could say. Ellie wondered if it could actually understand anything anyone said.

"Just a bowl, please." Ellie said. The bowl of noodles slid in front of her just after she finished her sentence. Ellie was never sure where Takahashi got the materials to make the noodles the city was so famous for, but as long as it didn't make her hair fall out, she didn't care. Ellie took in the sounds of the city as she ate.

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Ellie heard Nat shout from the front of the Publick Occurrences office. Publick Occurrences was run by a woman named Piper Wright. Nat, Piper's kid sister, normally sold papers out front or could be seen snooping around town listening in to people's conversations. Her being a child made it easy for her to get into spaces most people couldn't. It also made running from the security guards much easier.

Diamond City had seen a resurgence in commerce in the past few weeks. She wasn't sure if it was all the new trading they were doing with the Brotherhood of Steel, or the other thing that had to do with the Brotherhood and Piper's paper sales.

"Read all about it!" Nat shouted to a spatter of people. The crowd surrounding the Publick Occurrences building wasn't as big as it was a few weeks ago, but most citizens were happy to not have the crowd blocking the entrance to the city. "We've restocked the Public Occurrences Exclusive Interview with a Former Brotherhood of Steel soldier! Read _'Knight of Passion!'_ and get informed! Is Elder Maxson and the Brotherhood of Steel really here to help us? What really goes on in that big floating ship? Read the paper and find out!"

That article was a boon and a curse for Diamond City. On the one hand, when that article came out, Diamond City hadn't seen so much business. People were coming in from settlements as far north as Sanctuary just to get their hands on a copy after word got out. There was so much trading and caps exchanging hands, the shops almost ran out of inventory. On the downside, it was all anyone was talking about and it brought unnecessary attention. Before anyone knew it, the Brotherhood of Steel had sent envoys into the city to confiscate any copy they could get their hands on. Security kept them from taking the printer press and taking Nat into custody "In the name of Elder Maxson" as the soldiers would say. A lot of yelling, a lot of guns pointed at other people, and eventually the soldiers would leave, vowing to be back only for Danny, the city's gatekeeper, to tell the soldiers their Elder had no authority in Diamond City. Danny didn't look too intimidating, but he could get tough if he needed to.

A steamy affair between a commanding officer and one of his subordinates was something one would expect to read in a Pre-War pulp novel. Ellie, of course, was one of the first to get a copy, as she usually got the newest issue for Nick in case some information could be used in a case. Ellie had read the article many times. Ellie had a new appreciation for Piper's writing.

Ellie was almost done with her bowl of noodles when she heard a guard stop someone. "Hold up. We told your buddies the other day that if the Brotherhood can't behave, you can do your trading outside. I'm going to give you the same warning. Remember, this is Diamond City. Anything you do here, and we'll hold your precious Elder responsible."

"I promise, I'm not here on Brotherhood business. I'm here on my own." The woman said. Ellie turned around and saw a young woman, probably not even thirty, wearing what she recognized as a Brotherhood field scribe uniform. She'd seen plenty in the past few weeks. She also wore a hat with goggles. "I'm looking for…" the woman took a crumbled card out of one of her uniform pockets and read it. "The Valentine Detective Agency?"

Ellie knew the Brotherhood of Steel's attitude toward Synths. Shoot first, ask questions never. This woman didn't look like she was here to cause trouble, but just to be safe, Ellie paid for her noodles and jumped from her seat. "The Valentine Detective Agency?" she asked, stepping up to the guard and the woman.

"Oh, hey Ellie." The guard said. "You know this woman?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, but if she's looking for Nick, I can take her with me. Is that okay?"

The guard looked the woman up and down. "Alright, be careful, Ellie. Anything happens to Ellie or Nick, we know who to look for. Remember that." The guard warned as he walked off.

Ellie gave her cheeriest smile despite the rain. "Don't mind the guards. They are usually pretty unhelpful but they've had to be extra careful recently. I'm Ellie. I work for Nick. I must say, it's unusual for someone from the Brotherhood of Steel to come asking for him."

The woman cleared her throat. "Scribe Haylen. Just call me Haylen, it's easier. Trust me, I know what it looks like. The Brotherhood normally does their own dirty work, but I can't rely on anyone in the ranks for this. I volunteered to go on a supply run just so I could speak to this guy. He came recommended from some 'mutual' friends that I'm not supposed to have. But I need outside assistance for this. I was told Nick works with Synths or at least specializes in Synth matters, so I came here."

Ellie blinked and realized this Haylen woman probably didn't know Nick was a Synth. This was going to make things awkward. But she came all this way just to see Nick, and that should count for something. "Is there any particular reason you wish to hire Nick's services?" Ellie asked as she lead Haylen out of the market.

Haylen looked around nervously. She wasn't sure if she was being followed her not. "I'd rather not discuss it until we get there. With everything that's going on, I wouldn't be surprised if the Brotherhood hired out citizens of the city as informants."

"Fair enough." Ellie said, looking up at the sky. The rain showed no signs of stopping. She wished it would, she really wanted to get her hair done today. "It's right down here."

The neon sign for the agency was the first thing Haylen noticed when they entered the alley behind the stores. It was an eyesore, but it got her attention. It was brighter in the rain. The rain rang off the correlated tin roofs on the scrap homes, getting heavier as they walked.

They stopped at the second sign advertising the agency. "Nick's right inside." Ellie said. She was thinking about the best way to do this. Haylen was obviously a member of the Brotherhood of Steel. Their propaganda was already all over the radio. Most people in Diamond City didn't listen to anything except Diamond City Radio. Ellie opened the door and noticed most of the lights were off. She sighed, making a mental note to get someone to fix their wiring.

"Lights went out again, Ellie." said a voice near the back of the small office. Haylen couldn't see, but someone was lighting a small lantern with a lighter. The smoky office faintly illuminated to reveal a man in a trench coat and hat.

"I brought someone with me, Nick." Ellie said, closing the door behind her. "Now, I don't want you to be shocked…"

Nick chuckled. "Is it Deacon coming to pay his tab? Why did I bother asking? Of course it's not. I ought to go and break his legs myself."

Ellie sighed. "No, I met someone in the market who was specifically looking for you." Ellie stepped to the side and let Haylen make her presence known. "Now, Nick, before you get mad…"

Nick turned around so Haylen could see his face. It wasn't the Brotherhood of Steel field scribe outfit that threw him off and it wasn't her own shocked expression. They were shocked for different reasons, he knew that. She looked so familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint where he'd seen her before. Maybe roaming around with Nora?

"Nick, this is Scribe Haylen. She's not here on Brotherhood business, I swear." Ellie said, trying to dispel the tension.

" _You're_ Nick Valentine?" Haylen said, almost loud enough to shout. "I should have figured this is what he meant by 'specializes in Synth cases'."

Nick only stood there. There were a thousand things going through his mechanical mind at the moment. Her eyes were big and expressive, and she had a few freckles under the soot stains on her cheeks. A sudden flash of a woman looking similar flew before Nick's eyes before he came back to reality.

"Jenny?" Nick asked, though he wasn't sure why he said that.

Ellie and Haylen looked surprised. Ellie had heard that name before, but usually when she poked Nick out of a daydream. "No, not Jenny. I'm Scribe Haylen, I'm a field scribe for the Brotherhood of Steel. And before you ask, no I'm not here on Brotherhood business."

Nick shook his head and nodded. "Yes, sorry. You just…" Nick shook his head again. "Nevermind. Sit down and make yourself comfortable."

Sitting in the chair across from Nick's desk, Haylen couldn't make herself comfortable. She wasn't actually expecting a Synth to help her, let a long what looked like a first generation Synth. Haylen put her pack on the floor and looked up at the Synth she was apparently going to be working with. If the Brass found out she was sitting cordially with a Synth, she'd be in front of Maxson before she could figure out what was going on. Of course, if the rumors she heard were to be believed, and if the half-naked paladin she dropped off outside of Cambridge a few weeks ago was her evidence, Maxson was in no position to judge anyone.

"I know this might be uncomfortable for you." Ellie started, taking out a clipboard. "But I assume you came here looking Nick for a reason."

Haylen nodded and decided to take off her hood and hat. Haylen rarely did this, even when she slept. Taking off her hood revealed auburn hair in a ponytail. Nick's eyes unfocused again. A memory of a woman, cleaner, in a pretty summer dress, running along a street whiling dragging him along flashed before his eyes. Nick shook his head again, telling himself to get a grip under his breath.

"Yes, I am." Haylen started, holding her hood and hat close. "I used to be under the command of Paladin Danse."

"Danse?" Nick chuckled. "I know the guy. I'm assuming you know-"

"Yes, I do." Haylen interrupted. She didn't want to be reminded of the entire fiasco. "Sorry, it's a touchy subject."

"I imagine it is." said Ellie, scrawling notes on her clipboard.

"Anyway, I've known him since I joined up. He trained me and taught me everything I know. But there is something that's been gnawing at me since the entire reveal. I feel like it goes much deeper than what everyone is telling me. No one is giving me a straight answer and people are acting like he never existed. For Maxson to just throw him overboard like that and make everyone believe he's dead, it's not right."

Nick didn't see where the scribe was going with this. He was trying his hardest to keep his composure. "So, you think the rabbit hole goes deeper than just 'Danse is a Synth'?" he asked.

Haylen nodded, trying to hold back the events of the night Danse's true identity was revealed. "I just think it's awfully convenient that Danse just happens to be a Synth right as we're getting close to infiltrating the Institute. If there is anyone Maxson should have leading the charge into the Institute, it's Danse. He wouldn't have ordered Danse's immediate execution if it wasn't serious. I think Danse was set up. I think someone wanted him out of the way and I think Paladin Howard might be at the center of it without knowing."

"Paladin Howard?" Nick asked.

"Paladin Nora Howard. She got her new rank a few weeks ago, after…" Haylen didn't see the need to repeat the rumors, so she stopped there.

"Ahh, Nora. Girl gets around, I'll say that much." Nick said with a chuckle. "Yeah, I read the article. Who hasn't? It's funny referring to her as Paladin." Nick leaned back and considered this for a bit. "Alright, let's say it is a set-up job. What evidence do you have for it?"

Haylen slouched. "Virtually none. I know my gut feeling isn't the best evidence, but you have to understand: Danse is the most dedicated soldier I've ever met. He's never questioned an order, he's never gone behind Maxson's back for anything, and he's always on top of everything. It has to go deeper than Danse being a Synth. Is just has to. Even if I'm wrong, even if it means I look like an idiot in front of the Brotherhood, our 'mutual friends', and even to you, I still need to know. I've been questioning the Brotherhood's purpose here for a long time, but it was stuff I could get over. But this? I can't get over this."

Nick nodded. "It is awfully convenient." He mused, looking at Ellie.

"Paladin Danse just happens to be a Synth right before a planned attack on the Institute and Piper publishes that article about Maxson and Nora's extra-curricular activities not long after." Ellie said, looking down at Nick. "You know, Nora always talked about Danse in a good light whenever she was here. It always seemed to me that she felt more than just comradery for him. Maybe Maxson knew that."

Haylen's eyes widened. "Do you think that means Maxson wanted Danse out of the picture?"

Nick shrugged. "Possibly. I'm assuming getting the rank of Paladin involves more than just lining a bunch of people up and seeing who drew the shortest straw. Maybe someone didn't want Danse leading the charge and taking all the glory. Maybe someone didn't want to see Danse get a congratulatory kiss on the cheek from Nora after the attack. Maybe that someone is your beloved elder. Could be that Maxson wanted Danse out of the picture so he could have Nora all to himself. Maxson doesn't strike me as impulsive, though. Even in Piper's article, it stated he was methodical in his thinking. If I were Maxson, and may I be struck down the day that happens, I'd wait until after the Institute job was done, then expose Danse."

"Quinlan, the Proctor in charge of the archives, was put on the case of scanning the information brought back by Paladin Howard. When he found the list of escaped Synths, he brought it to Maxson's attention immediately. I only found out because I heard two of his scribes talking about it when I came back to the Prydwen. Maxson would have been expected to take action right there." Haylen was starting to wonder if a smile traced along Maxson's face when he heard the news from Proctor Quinlan.

Nick was thinking the same thing. "I bet Maxson smiled like a clown high on goofballs when he got it. Still, Maxson may be guilty of many things, but he can't go accusing him of this particular crime yet. We'll need hard evidence. Let's say it is a set-up job with a huge conspiracy to boot. What are you going to do with the evidence?"

Haylen sighed. "I don't know. I can't accuse Maxson of anything without someone backing me up. He'll call me a traitor and have me in front of a firing squad before I can read any proof."

"I doubt the Brotherhood will take a Synth's word seriously." Ellie said, putting down her clipboard.

"I need this more for myself and Danse than to accuse Maxson of any wrongdoing." Haylen said, trying not to cry. "It was wrong of them to just cast Danse aside like he never existed. His name has been removed from all official records. You know what it says where Danse's name used to be on all the reports? Redacted, in big bold capital letters. _**REDACTED**_. He deserves more than that. He doesn't deserve to be forgotten like garbage. If it isn't a set-up job, then fine. I can live with that. But if it is, then…then it'd be enough reason for me to leave the Brotherhood. I can't stay with them if their best soldier's life means so little to them."

Nick looked at Ellie, who handed Haylen a tissue. "Miss Haylen, this isn't going to be an easy case to solve."

Haylen nodded. "I know. Name your price, I'll forge some expense reports to get your payment. And I want to help out if I can."

Nick smiled wide. "You just made this case a hell of a lot easier. I'm good at sneaking around, but the Brotherhood of Steel will be a challenge. The proof is in the details, though. You wouldn't happen to have a copy of the Institute data your Proctor Quinlan had, do you?"

"No, but I can get it." Haylen said, a little bit more spry than earlier.

"Good. Our mutual friends might need it later. They have the tech and know-how to read it. Let's you and I get the leg work out of the way." Nick stood up. "How long will you be in town?"

"I've been given a week to procure the right supplies. They they want me to return to the airport when I'm done with the supply run to help with the…" Haylen stopped talking. "Well, they want me to help with a big project they have going on there." Haylen said, standing up. "It could work to our advantage."

"The best way for me to get the information we need without implicating you would be to head to the airport where your boys have moored that giant eyesore. Now, how am I going to get close enough to that airport without being shot at?" Nick asked.

Haylen thought about this for a moment. "There is an old air traffic tower at the airport that no one uses near the supply depot. The Prydwen is moored just above it. I can set you up with a terminal and a radio so we can keep in contact. There is a Minuteman settlement not far from the airport. If you get into trouble, just run there. The Brotherhood won't pursue you."

Nick smiled his crooked smile and stood up. "Scribe, if Ellie had brought in anyone else from the Brotherhood of Steel, I would have shown them the door. I got the feeling I can trust you. Congratulations, you've just hired the Valentine Detective Agency. _Mazel Tov_."

Haylen smiled in a way that made another image flash before Nick's eyes. This time of a woman with curly hair beckoning Nick to join her on a boardwalk at night. Nick shook the image away and extended his hand to his new client. "Thank you so much, Mr. Valentine. I'm going to check in at the Dugout Inn. Come by later and we can go over the details."

For some reason, Nick and Haylen's handshake took longer than most would expect a client/detective handshake to last. Haylen smiled, slowly let go, and left with a skip in her step.

Nick turned around and saw Ellie with the look he hated. The look that said "This is a bad idea". Nick groaned, slumping his shoulders. "Don't give me 'The Look'."

Ellie's expression didn't change. "Nick, following a wayward teenager into a gangster hideout is one thing, but this is the Brotherhood of Steel we're talking about. Not only are you working with a scribe to infiltrate them on the grounds of 'my gut tells me to', but need I remind you that they have a 'shoot first, ask questions never' policy regarding Synths, Ghouls, and Super Mutants? You fall under the first category. How do you know she isn't leading you into some sort of trap? They might know you're affiliated with Nora and interrogate you before scrapping you for parts."

Nick gave Ellie that sly smile that meant he wasn't listening. "She seems familiar…" Nick whispered. "Like I knew her once before…"

Ellie swallowed hard. "You were looking at her like she was an old girlfriend."

Nick let out a laugh and started getting his things ready. "You'll hold down the fort, right?" he asked.

With a sigh, Ellie decided to just give up. "As always, Nick. You know our radio frequency. I want to hear back from you this time. I can't keep putting your cases on hold so you can chase a skirt around."

Nick gave Ellie a wink, though it did little to reassure her. "Come on, Ellie." Nick said, with his usual smirk. "You know you're the only girl for me."

With that, Nick left the office after making sure his gun was loaded. Trust or not, Nick never went anywhere with a new client unprepared. Ellie shook her head as Nick left the office on another case. She picked up the other cases and decided to put them away. She noticed the case file she'd tried to hide many times before sitting on the edge of his desk, hidden under a book. She shook her head again and picked it up. Ellie got the feeling that even this Mysterious Stranger wouldn't be able to get Nick out of this jam, should he pursue this go-nowhere case.

Ellie had read old Pre-war detective novels before. This had all the trappings for one. The disenchanted detective with an old score to settle (Nick Valentine), the overworked and ignored secretary (herself), the frantic client (Scribe Haylen), the femme fatale (Nora), and the nosy reporter (Piper). But what she couldn't figure out, and what all good detective stories had, was a clear case and a villain. Ellie wanted to run out of the office and convince Nick not to go on this wild goose chase. It would only lead to ruin.

Whose ruin it was, Ellie couldn't be sure.

The rain had steadied down to a drizzle as Nick walked along the alleyway towards the city. He could hear the barks of wares and the promises of good deals over the rain now. He wasn't sure why this particular case made him so giddy. There was something about Scribe Haylen that made Nick comfortable. Nick had dreams about old Nick's life, but they never appeared like this. Nick gazed up at the sky again, watching the clouds part and attempt to let the sun through.

Nick Valentine was on the case, once again. This one might be even bigger than the last.

* * *

 **Hi, hi, everyone!**

 **I've always found the concept of Film Noir fascinating. How the light and shadows play into the mood of the intimidating music and suspense. Nick Valentine is a noir detective if I've ever seen one. In fact, he has all the trappings for a perfect Noir setting. As I stated above, Nick is the disenchanted detective with a score to settle, Ellie is the overworked secretary, Nora could probably be a femme fatale depending on the direction the story goes, and Piper is the nosy reporter who is always looking for a scoop.**

 **And yes, I know it's spelled "Noir" in the proper tense. It's a play on the title "L.A. Noire". Get off my back!**

 **If you seem confused, don't worry. All the stories will eventually come together. I didn't want my story to become stale and monotonous, so I added a few sub-plots. We'll be seeing more of Nick and Haylen later. Nick is a character of many conflicts in the game, and I wanted to give him another one here in my story. Every good detective must have inner turmoil and Nick has enough to last us a lifetime. Does Nick really see Jenny in Haylen? Where am I going with THAT?! You'll just have to stick around and find out!**

 **In the next chapter, Nora, Piper, and MacCready finally make it to the Castle. And the newest Lieutenant has a few questions for Nora!**

 **So, how did I do? Let me know with a lovely review! I need some sleep so I'm going to post this and go to bed. Be sure to follow me on Tumblr and deviantArt for updates on my fics and just my own general ramblings.**

 **Read, review, and be merry my loves!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	10. Toy Soldier

_The Battle Coat_

Toy Soldier

"Straighten those shoulders! Keep your weapons leveled and eyes on the sight! We want to minimize stray fire at all costs! Don't waste any ammo! Raiders and Muties won't give you a chance to reload like these wooden targets, so make every shot count. We have civilians to protect and we don't need any careless fire! Focus on your targets! I don't tolerate sloppy shooting!"

Ronnie Shaw was doing inventory in the armory, hoping the thick stone walls would filter out the yelling coming from the courtyard. It muffled it a bit, but the new lieutenant had a way of getting his words heard over the loud booming of the laser muskets. Ronnie wasn't sure if she liked this new guy at first, but he had a way of whipping the new recruits into shape. She trusted the General when it came to appointing positions and she seemed to hit the jackpot with this new guy. Strict, experienced, and not afraid to get his hands dirty. He came highly recommended from both General Nora Howard and Preston Garvey.

When Garvey radioed a week or two ago about a new recruit, Ronnie was, as usual, skeptical. She wasn't so sure why this one was so special when most new recruits just showed up out of nowhere. Ronnie figured he was something special if he got a personal recommendation from Preston Garvey and the General.

About two days after the radio announcement, a man came marching into The Castle. He was about average height, but seemed to tower over the recruits when he walked into the courtyard. By the way Preston described him, Ronnie was expecting him to be in full power armor. But if what she heard was true, this man wouldn't want to bring attention to himself being so close to Brotherhood territory. So, he marched into the courtyard, his pack slung over his shoulder, wearing a blue padded patched up coat. Typical wastelander garb.

He only gave one name when Ronnie asked who the hell he was. "The name is Danse, former paladin of the East Coast Brotherhood of Steel. Your 'General' sent me this way. I hear you have recruits that need training and very little time to do it. I have over ten years of Brotherhood experience under my belt and I'm told it won't go to waste here. Give me a laser rifle and a target, and I'll whip your men into shape in no time flat."

Ronnie appreciated how straight forward he was. She was tired of dealing with the stuttering recruits who looked like they were about to wet themselves at the thought of holding a weapon. In the short time he had been at the Castle, the recruits were shooting straighter and had a greater appreciation for being sent out on patrols. Ronnie couldn't argue that Danse got results. His training regimen was hard and she often saw recruits dragging other recruits back from an exercise in the city. Danse wore a hood or hat and goggles whenever he took the others through a training exercise in the nearby city. Ronnie didn't know the full details of Danse's banishment from the Brotherhood of Steel, but their loss was the Minutemen's gain, so she never pressed Danse for details.

When she was finished with inventory, Ronnie decided to go make sure Danse hadn't killed any of the recruits. She was hoping to get a chance to talk about sending some envoys to the nearby Spectacle Island and seeing if it can be turned into a training ground. She walked out just as the recruits finished their target practice.

"Alright, that's enough for today." Danse yelled as the recruits slogged their way to the barracks. "I want those muskets cleaned and repaired before supper tonight, is that understood? And no fooling around tonight, we have drills in the morning!"

Ronnie chuckled, walking up to Danse with a satisfied smirk. "You sure whipped those kids into shape." She said, crossing her arms. "I was about to give up on getting them to shoot straight, but you worked a miracle in less than a month. I'm impressed."

Danse only nodded. "No miracles, Ma'am. Just hard work and yelling loud enough."

Ronnie gave Danse a pat on the shoulder, which he assumed was the highest level of affection Ronnie Shaw was capable of giving, and walked toward the barrack wing of the Castle with him. "Well, you get results and any man that can get results out of this sad looking bunch is a man I can get behind. The General and Garvey were right to send you this way. I'd better go kiss some boo-boos and give these thumb-suckers their assignments." Ronnie's sarcasm was famous around the Castle. "You get some rest. I'll take things from here."

Danse stopped at the archway to the barracks and sighed with a sad smile. He heard Ronnie shout to the recruits to get the lead out because they had work to do and made his way toward the armory. Ronnie let Danse use the catacombs near the armory as his barracks, seeing as being out in the open was a bad idea should the Brotherhood come knocking. He walked down the stairs and made his way to the big room where a robot called Sarge used to live. After giving the dead general a proper burial, Danse had made this little section of the catacombs his own. He made makeshift walls out of racks and brought in a bed. It wasn't decorated with anything yet.

At the moment, all that occupied the space Danse made for himself was a simple bed, the desk with its security terminal, and a dresser. There was a side-table next to his bed that he kept a ham radio on, but he rarely used it for more than just keeping tabs on the Brotherhood or waiting to hear from Haylen on her hidden frequency. He kept making a mental note to go back to the bunker for his power armor, but didn't want to attract attention to himself.

Danse wasn't sure what to do with himself after his banishment. Elder Maxson had told him, in no uncertain terms, that if he were to step into Brotherhood territory or make contact with any Brotherhood soldier in any way, he would be shot on sight. Danse never thought he'd ever sympathize with Piper Wright about that. Of course, he never saw himself sympathizing with her at all. Danse made it no secret he didn't particularly care for Miss Wright or her newspaper. He had a special kind of contempt for her now that her article about the Brotherhood of Steel was making rounds.

The damning issue of Publick Occurrences sat on his nightstand, showing signs of heavy reading. Underlined paragraphs, dog-eared pages, and the wearing staples showed that Danse had read and reread this article over and over and over again.

Danse wasn't sure who he was more upset at; Piper for writing such slander about the Brotherhood of Steel or Nora for allegedly participating in such fraternization. He wasn't stupid. He knew the soldier in question was Nora. The details were too damning. Danse sat on his bed and picked up the article, but didn't read it. His thoughts kept going back to the night his world changed. One minute he was a decorated Paladin, the next he was nothing.

He remembered leaving the stockpile while the bombs were being loaded up for transport. It was hell getting out of the Glowing Sea on a vertibird, but he made it to the Cambridge Outpost with no problem. He'd been particularly satisfied with his mission, and he'd become especially proud of Nora. She came a long way from being some Wastelander to an actual Knight within the Brotherhood. He enjoyed his time with her, and found himself thinking about her in more than just a friendly capacity.

The outpost was eerily quiet the night the news broke out. Only a few soldiers occupied the outpost, due to everyone else helping with the construction of Liberty Prime. He had gotten out of his Power Armor so it could be taken back to the Prydwen for servicing. It had been drizzling most of the ride back, but Danse's mood couldn't be changed. He was happy with the mission complete. He could rest a bit before the next phase could begin. He knew how he wanted to spend his rest time. Danse was contemplating how to ask Nora if she'd like to have a few celebratory drinks on the forecastle when he returned to the Prydwen. He had barely opened the door to the Cambridge Outpost when he heard the radio.

" _Urgent news from Elder Maxson! There is an Institute Synth within our ranks!"_ the radio shouted. The few soldiers still at the outpost gathering around the radio and listened. They murmured to each other, some looked scared, some looked angry. Danse found himself stopping in his tracks at the door, not closing it behind him. There was something in his mind telling him to run. _"We've just received word that one of our own soldiers is, in fact, a Synth infiltrator!"_ Danse's blood didn't have time to boil at the thought of one of his brothers in arms being a Synth spy. What happened next felt like being punched in the stomach. _"One of our best soldiers, Paladin Danse, has been discovered as a Synth Infiltrator!"_ Danse felt himself backing out slowly, hoping no one knew he was there. _"Anyone with information on the whereabouts of this traitor are ordered to see Knight Howard or Elder Maxson immediately! Time is of the essence! Do not engage him if you find him! Approach with extreme caution!"_

Danse found himself running at top speed out of Cambridge. It wasn't until he stopped to rest a little later that he'd realized he just made things worse. If he was going to clear his name, this was probably the worst possible way to do it. He remembered leaning against a tree while rain poured over him, trying to get his thoughts straight. Everything was a scrambled mess. He needed to find out the truth, but he couldn't do that while being hunted like a mongrel dog. Danse then remembered what he told Haylen, should they ever lose the outpost somehow. Their fall back location. Listening Post Bravo was not far from a Minutemen settlement that doubled as a mutfruit nursery. The Brotherhood of Steel usually stayed away from Minutemen territory unless trading was involved. He couldn't endanger the lives of those settlers, so Danse decided not to stop and rest there. He kept going until he reached the fall back point.

Throwing the article down on the floor, Danse tried to get his thoughts in order. He needed to go for a walk, to clear his head. He started picking up his hat and goggles so no one would recognize him when he heard the training bell outside being rung. Danse looked at the time on the terminal. It wasn't time for any training. Something must be going on. He put his things down and left his barrack. He hadn't left the bastion when he heard one of the recruits shouting "General incoming!"

Danse felt his face go hot. He stopped one of the recruits running into the courtyard. "The General is back?" he asked, trying not to show how interested he was.

The recruit nodded. "Yep. She's been spotted coming up the path in the front. She's got two with her, including her dog."

Danse subconsciously started straightening himself up, but stopped when he realized he was supposed to be mad. The recruits ran to greet their general and her friends as she entered the gates. Ronnie Shaw made her way to the front of the group.

"Get out of my way, you damn idgets!" Ronnie shouted, moving some recruits out of her way with her musket. "Well, here I am thinking my eyesight was finally shot. Welcome back, General."

"Good to be back, Ronnie." She said over all the hellos and happy greetings. "You remember Piper?"

Ronnie groan and leaned against her musket. "Who can forgot that nosy little busybody." Ronnie grunted, looking over at Piper. "Don't get in the way this time, Miss Wright. I won't always be here to grab you out of the way of training fire."

Piper stuck her tongue out at Ronnie. Nora laughed and motioned to her other companion. "This is MacCready. He was nice enough to escort us here."

MacCready took off his hat in a greeting and looked around. "So, this is the Castle, huh? Not bad."

"We've been slowly rebuilding it." Ronnie said with a confident smile. "You staying for a while, General? I wouldn't recommend it. With that little piece of smut floating around, the Brotherhood has been calling in at least once a day to get your position. We won't tell them you're here."

Nora nodded. "I just wanted to do a quick check on some things."

"More like some _one_." MacCready murmured.

Ronnie chuckled and looked over at MacCready. He was wearing a very thick jacket with the Brotherhood of Steel insignia on one sleeve. "So, the rumors are mostly true. You did take more than just a t-shirt from that sorry excuse of an Elder and now you're sharing the spoils of war." Ronnie said, pointing to the coat.

Nora rolled her eyes. "It's a long story."

"We've all already read it." Ronnie replied with a laugh. The other Minutemen made nervous chuckles before going back to their assignments. Ronnie led Nora and her group toward the radio tower. The day was cloudy, but there didn't seem to be rain coming. "You'll be happy to know we've got stable recruitment and we're looking green as far as settlements go. Ever since you rescued Garvey and yanked the Minutemen back onto its feet, things have been looking good. It's a pain in the rear to train these young whippersnappers coming in. But your new man seems to know his stuff."

This was the main reason Nora had come back to the Castle. Nora cleared her throat. "Danse made it here okay?"

Ronnie nodded. She continued to walk with Nora while Piper and MacCready talked to the radio guy. Ronnie looked over at the broken wall facing the ocean. They had a pretty good view of the Prydwen from where they were standing. It made Nora uncomfortable. She wondered if they could see her. Ronnie kept her eyes on the massive ship. "He had trouble adjusting to our ways." She started. "I think the Minutemen way of life is not as structured as he's used to. In the Brotherhood, it's all protocol and paperwork. Things are a little more slap-dash with the Minutemen. But, for what it's worth, he's whipped these thumb suckers into shape and even has them shooting straight."

Nora nodded. "With the Minutemen, it's not about who to kill, it's who to protect. I wish the Brotherhood of Steel saw things that way. The way they run in and shoot everything without asking questions first..." Nora shook her head and looked over at the Prydwen again. "...they're no better than raiders or even the Gunners."

Ronnie snorted. "They have the organization thing in common with the Gunners, I'll say that. But enough about that."

Before Nora could say anything, she felt a familiar presence in the armory bastion. She felt the familiar gaze on her and tried not to show how excited she was to see him here. Nora excused herself from Ronnie, who just waved dismissively, and powerwalked toward the armory. She didn't want to run. She wanted just a minute alone with him before Piper and MacCready came over. She knew Piper would want a few comments for whatever follow-up story she was cooking up. MacCready just wanted a few laughs.

"Danse!" she shouted, happily stopping at the doorway. Nora wasn't sure what she was expecting seeing Danse. She wasn't expecting a big hug or for him to beam with happiness. She certainly wasn't expecting his cold stare and indifferent greeting.

Danse crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "General." He mumbled with a slight nod.

Nora looked like she had just run up to a stranger. "Danse, I'm so glad to see you're here. I was so worried and…" Nora stopped talking when she saw his disappointed gaze. She tried to dispel the awkward feeling she was getting by standing in front of him. By the look on his face, her worst fear was confirmed. She didn't need to ask. Nora knew Danse had read the article. She was hoping his distrust of Piper and her paper would keep him from doing so.

Danse looked different outside of his power armor and Brotherhood flight suit. In his blue padded jacket and patched up trousers, he looked like any other wastelander. Nora had a feeling he didn't like that. She sighed and walked up to him, staying a foot away. "Garvey sent me this way. I came to Sanctuary like you asked me to and when I got there, Garvey told me you were heading to the airport for some unfinished business with the Brotherhood. Before I could get any details, he told me the Minutemen needed help getting their ranks in check. He told me I was perfect for such a task. I wanted to wait for you, but my gut told me to head to the Castle and we'd soon meet up."

Before Nora could say anything, Danse started for the catacombs. She followed him, but wasn't actually sure if this was the right move to make. Piper looked over and saw this. She nudged MacCready and pointed to Nora walking behind Danse. MacCready only smirked and crossed his arms. "I swear, that woman works fast." He laughed, looking down at Dogmeat. Dogmeat had laid himself down at the radio operator's feet and panted loudly. The walk to the Castle had been exhausting, especially since they had to take the long way to avoid the Brotherhood patrols.

Piper shook her head. "No, that's not the look of a woman who knows what's about to happen. I've been around Blue long enough to know what her facial expressions mean." Piper started making her way over to the armory when MacCready grabbed her collar. He shook his head as he gently brought her back toward him. "I'm not going to interrupt them!" Piper reasoned. "I'm just…going to listen at the door and…"

MacCready glared down at Piper. "No, stay here. If they aren't out in time for dinner, then you can go make a nuisance of yourself. But until then, give them some time alone."

"It's a cold day in Hell when Robert Joseph MacCready is the voice of reason." Piper pouted, crossing her arms.

"Tell me about it." MacCready said, spitting in a rickety chair nearby before taking out his cigarettes.

Piper looked around, trying to remember the layout of the Castle. She looked around and saw Ronnie lighting a cigarette near the area known as the General's quarters. Piper slowly walked away while MacCready talked to the radio operator. Dogmeat perked up and followed her.

In the catacombs, Nora could see Danse was etching a life for himself in the Minutemen. She could also tell it wasn't an easy transition for him. He was so used to structure and having the best technology at his fingertips. Now, he was working with borderline anarchy and old repurposed weaponry. Still, Nora wouldn't have sent Danse to the Castle if she didn't have faith in his abilities. He was the best soldier the Brotherhood had and, as Ronnie often said, their loss was the Minutemen's gain.

Nora stopped just short of Piper's article on the floor. By the wear and tear, she should tell he'd been reading it. By the marks made on some of the exposed pages, he'd done his research well. Nora expected no less from Danse.

"I see you're settling in quite well." Nora said, trying to dispel the awkwardness. When Danse turned to face her, she knew it wasn't working. In hindsight, she should have known better.

"Can the small talk." He said. "You wouldn't have followed me down here if you didn't know what I wanted to talk about." Danse pointed to the article at Nora's feet. "Is that story true? I wouldn't have given Piper's paper a second look if I hadn't found most of the recruits reading it over lunch break one day. I didn't want to read it. I didn't want to know what all the giggling and gossip was about. But when I saw that it was the recounted tale from a 'former Brotherhood of Steel soldier', something told me I had to." Danse blushed a bit, but not enough to loosen the tension.

Nora didn't deny anything. Danse was too smart for that. "Listen, Danse, I…" she tried to think of the best way to word this. There was none. Nothing she could say would make what she had to say better. She took a deep breath and just said it, like she did with Piper. "Yes, Danse. It's true. Piper embellished it a bit, but for the most part it's true. I slept with Elder Maxson."

Danse looked like he'd been shot in the chest. More specifically, the heart. "So, I guess that gives a new meaning to the phrase 'advancing your position'." He wasn't joking when he said that.

Nora shook her head. "It's not like that. Listen, I went back to the Prydwen to tell Maxson where he could shove his new rank. I couldn't stay with them knowing he gave up the best soldier he's ever had over the assumption that he MIGHT be a Synth. He wouldn't even give you a chance to explain yourself. His orders were for me to basically take you out back and shoot you. Like your life and everything you've accomplished during your time in the Brotherhood didn't matter. I figured, I did my part and I got into the Institute. They didn't need me anymore at that point and I didn't really need them."

Danse glared at Nora, looking insulted. "So, we were just a means to an end for you?" he asked, turning away. "You used us to further your own gain?"

Nora shook her head again. "At first, yes. I can't lie about that. I told myself I was going to help you guys in exchange for a way into the Institute. I didn't think I was ever going to see you again after I helped you guys refortify the Cambridge Police Station when we got back from the Arc-Jet mission. When you asked me to join, I was scared. Army life was something I knew all too well. I didn't want to repeat that. That's why I told you I wasn't sure if I wanted to join. But when I saw the Prydwen fly overhead, I knew my best bet to get into the Institute and finding Shaun was the Brotherhood of Steel. So, I swallowed what was left of my pride and came back to the outpost."

Knowing she was getting nowhere with Danse, Nora sat on the cot and put her hands in her lap. "When Maxson told me I had to kill you, I refused. I told him you deserved a chance to explain yourself. Synth or not, you were still a Brotherhood soldier and you deserved a chance to defend yourself. I couldn't kill you, Danse. You mean too much to me."

Danse sighed. "When did it happen?" he asked. He wasn't going to let her sweet talk her way out of the original conversation.

"When I got back to the Prydwen after I came to check on you. Haylen told me she'd reestablished contact with you and helped you fix up the listening post. I invited you to live in Sanctuary, where you'd be as far from the Brotherhood of Steel as possible. But when I saw that look on your face, like you'd lost all reason to go on, I asked Garvey to send you to the Castle when or if you arrived. Then, I left Dogmeat in Piper's care while she was working on a Minutemen story in Sanctuary, and I left for the airport alone. I couldn't face him right away. I went to the forecastle to think of the best way I was going to tell this man he could go fuck himself and that I was leaving. When I mustered up enough courage, I started for the command deck, but he met me outside."

Danse didn't take his eyes off the stone wall.

"He gave me the Paladin rank, and then told me he had another question for me." Nora still wore her wedding ring. She never took it off. She felt bad wearing it the night in question. She twisted it a bit and tried not to think about whether she betrayed Nate or now. "He asked me to marry him."

Danse's eyes jolted up and he turned to Nora. Piper didn't mention that. Piper knew people wanted to get to the nitty-gritty. She knew her readers well. Danse turned away from Nora again, walking toward a small cabinet which Nora (correctly) assumed was filled with assortments of liquor. Nora didn't realize how much Danse looked up to Maxson. She was pretty sure his opinion of the young Elder was pretty skewed now.

With a glass in hand, Danse shakily poured himself what Nora assumed was whiskey. "…and did you say yes?" he asked after gulping the glass down in one swallow.

"Obviously not." Nora said, spreading her arms out to indicate she was in his room now. "I didn't give him any answer. We shared a few drinks, he tried to talk me into it, and before I knew it he was tearing off my uniform and kissing me and-" Nora stopped herself. She was getting pretty hot thinking about it again. Danse threw the glass down and gulped from the bottle. "Well, you know what happened."

Danse sighed. "Looks like I owe Ingram fifty caps." He mumbled. "Too bad she's not getting it."

Nora sighed. "The morning after, I panicked. I grabbed my Pip-Boy and the only other piece of clothing that wasn't in shreds on the floor and ran. Haylen dropped me off outside of Cambridge and I just ran like Hell toward Sanctuary. I couldn't think of anything else but getting home and as far from the airport as possible. I know they probably questioned Haylen, that's why I didn't tell her what happened. If Maxson was going to question her, she could only give him the truth. She's put herself in harm's way for our sake before."

"Don't pretend you're looking out for Haylen or the Brotherhood." Danse growled. He put down his bottle of whiskey and glared at Nora. "What you did…" Danse wanted to spit, but didn't. "What you did was the most deplorable act I have ever read in my entire life! I didn't want it to be true. I wanted it to be another one of Piper's stories. But something told me it was." Danse shook his head sadly. "How can I forgive you for something like this?"

Now it was Nora's turn to be mad. "I don't recall asking for your approval on who I sleep with or your forgiveness for a stupid decision I made on my own." Nora said, standing up. "Was it a mistake? Yes. A huge one. Maybe I should have brought him up short. I should have told him no. But I didn't. I let it happen. He didn't force himself on me. I had hot, drunken, sweaty sex with Elder Arthur Maxson. I will carry that with me until the gossip dies down and the Commonwealth moves on to the next big thing. Or until the day I die, whichever happens first. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking that we move on from this and get back to what's important: taking down the Institute."

Danse snorted. "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me?!" he shouted.

"Oh, so that's the game we're going to play?" Nora shouted back.

"I put my own name on the line so you could have a chance with the Brotherhood! If I had known you were fooling around with the Elder behind my back, I wouldn't have bothered!" Danse crossed his arms and stared down at Nora like she was still his subordinate.

Of course, Nora didn't appreciate that. "We weren't having an affair! It was one time! It was a mistake!"

"One time is enough!" Danse shouted back. "I trusted you, I took you under my wing, I taught you everything and you turn around and betray me! How could you throw away everything for one night of sordid passion?! How did you think I would feel?!"

"Betray you?!" Nora balled up her fists and stood up. "I risked my life just to save you from being shot and incinerated by a megalomaniac and you're shouting at me like I just sold you out to them!"

"You slept with that megalomaniac less than two days later!" Danse shouted again. He didn't seem to care that the people outside might have heard him. He certainly didn't know a small crowd was gathering around the doorway to the armory bastion at that very moment. "I knew you wanted to get ahead, but I didn't think you were that desperate."

Nora clinched her teeth. "How dare you!" she shouted. "You have some nerve talking to me this way when I saved you from execution! If it weren't for me, you'd be dead. You wouldn't even have gotten a damn funeral. For your information, I didn't want his stupid rank and I certainly didn't want to be proposed to! I came here to make sure you were safe."

Danse snorted. "You came here to feed your own ego. I don't need you babysitting me. I am a grown man. Synth or not, I don't need you looking after me."

Nora rubbed her arms and sighed. "Danse, please don't do this." She said, trying not to cry. "I really did come here for you. I felt guilty about everything that happened. I know you feel lost without the Brotherhood of Steel. I just needed to make sure…" she sighed again. "…I needed to make sure I made the right choice."

Danse's wide-eyed expression told Nora he had nothing more to say to her. Danse stood up straight and walked to the far end of his room. He was breathing heavily. Nora slowly walked over to him. She put her hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her away. Nora understood. Danse still needed his space and some time to think things over.

"Please, just leave." Danse mumbled.

Nora didn't say anything else. She left before Danse could stop her. He punched a wall so hard, the bricks cracked.

"Well, that certainly could have gone better." Said a voice from behind some racks. Danse turned around and to his shock, found Piper Wright standing there. Dogmeat was right beside her, his tail wagging in excitement at seeing Danse. Piper moved a rack out of the way and made her way to Danse's little area. "You want to tell me what that was about before you bring the whole Castle down?"

Danse glared down at Piper. He never liked her. He never kept it a secret that he couldn't stand being around her. Where Nora appreciated Piper's honesty, Danse didn't. He also didn't appreciate her eavesdropping on his and Nora's argument. He snorted when he saw her, like he smelled something foul. "What do you want? Need a comment for your next piece of sordid slander? Here's one: Quote, 'Fuck You', end quote."

Piper laughed. "Real mature, Soldier Boy. I've heard better jokes from MacCready. You are some kind of ungrateful, you know that?"

"This doesn't concern you, Piper." Danse said, sitting by his terminal.

"Oh, it does. In more ways than you'll ever know. How could you talk to Blue that way?" Piper leaned against the wall and glared down at Danse.

Danse glared up at her. "I never asked for Nora's help."

"But you sure as hell took it!" Piper countered.

Danse, angrier than he's ever been, stood up. He easily towered over Piper. "You listen here, you nosy little nuisance..." He growled. His growls almost matched Dogmeat's. He held Piper up to the wall. "I don't like you. I've never liked you. Every time you were around, I had a feeling there would be trouble. Now, your rag of a paper has gone too far. Not only have you besmirched the Brotherhood's good name, now EVERYONE knows about what happened. I swear, if you print anything else…"

Piper smirked at Danse, despite how scared she was. "…yeah, go ahead. Threaten Blue's best friend, see how far that gets you with her."

Danse decided he wasn't going to waste his strength on Piper. He got out of her face and walked over to the racks to move them back in place. "Get out." He snarled.

Piper stood up and dusted herself off. "When are you going to get over that cult? Hell, when are you going to get over yourself?" she asked. "She made me and MacCready slog all the way here so she could check on you and you yelled at her. Do you know how much she missed you? How concerned she was that you wouldn't be able to find your place in this hellhole of a world? And all you're concerned about it what the people think of the Brotherhood. You aren't apart of the Brotherhood anymore, Danse. They left you to die in the middle of nowhere and wouldn't even give you a fair trial. For all you know, there was a computer error or someone fucked up getting right information to Maxson and he couldn't be bothered to dig deeper. Don't you think it's a little odd that there wasn't a formal investigation? A man that has been called a One Man Army just happens to be a Synth? You were the best thing to happen to the Brotherhood of Steel and now everyone is pretending that you didn't exist?! All your stuff, your room, your life was given to someone else like it was no big deal! Get it through your skull, Danse; Maxson wanted you out of the way and you being a Synth was just the excuse he needed. He didn't bother to get to the bottom of it himself. Blue thinks it's too crazy to be true, but what else is there?"

"That's not true!" he yelled. "Synths are the representation of everything the Brotherhood is against. Technology gone amok, pushing the limits of humanity too far."

"It's true and you're too hardheaded to admit it." Piper said. "I stand by everything I publish. I won't apologize for publishing the story or any follow-ups Blue allows. The fact that Maxson has his goons confiscating every copy they find is proof enough that they aren't the shining example you want them to be. They, along with their horn dog of an Elder, are just as slimy and corrupt as the rest of the Commonwealth. He ordered her to kill her friend and mentor so calmly, he might as well of asked her to make him a sandwich! Who does that? Who calmly asks someone to kill their friend?"

"I should have been the example, not the exception!" Danse shouted. Wide-eyed, Danse put his hand to his forehead, not sure what he just shouted. "She got to know me as Paladin Danse and now…" Danse pounded his fist against the wall again, but not enough to crack any bricks. "…now I'm just Danse. Hell, I don't even know if I'm that. Everything was so tangible before this entire mess. I had friends, I had a good career, I had plans for…" Danse sighed and sat on his bed, his head hung. "…plans for us. Plans for the future with the Brotherhood…and her."

"And there it is." Piper said. "Well, you royally screwed up any plans you had left with Blue. You can hate yourself for the rest of your life for all I care. But don't take it out on Blue because you can't handle it. She doesn't care that you're a Synth. I don't care that you're a Synth, and no one else here cares. You're not a Paladin anymore, Danse. You're just Danse. Isn't it time you accepted that?"

Danse didn't face Piper. "Miss Wright, get out."

Piper made a tsking sound and looked down at Dogmeat. "Come on, boy. We don't have time to waste with a toy soldier." Piper turned to leave with Dogmeat following behind. She stopped just short of the door and looked back at Danse. "Let me give you some advice, Danse. As someone who's seen it happen many times before: Don't lose Blue's friendship over something that can't be controlled. We're all human here, and we all have needs."

Piper left Danse to this thoughts. It wasn't Nora's friendship he was afraid of losing.

When Piper and Dogmeat came back outside, she didn't see Nora anywhere. They were met by MacCready doing a short patrol. "Nora went to rest for a bit. She and Danse have it out?"

Dogmeat whined and left the two. "If Danse didn't have such good self-control, I'm pretty sure it would have been a sparring match worthy of the Combat Zone."

"I'd pay to see that." MacCready joked. "Well, we're here. We might as well rest for a bit. Unless the General wants to get a move on."

"We've been walking almost nonstop for days. I'm not going anywhere for at least the next twenty four hours. I'd hate to call this trip wasted. I'm going to get some commentary from the Minutemen." Piper took out her pen and notebook. "You want to go see if you can talk some sense into the Tin Man?"

MacCready looked down at what he was wearing. He was still wearing the big battle coat. "Dressed like the man that wanted him dead? I'll pass."

Piper and MacCready separated. MacCready looked down at his gun and sighed. "Shi-…I mean, shoot. Almost out of ammo." He murmured. He really didn't want to go near the armory, especially if it meant there was a slight possibility of running into Danse. MacCready and Danse got along fine, but one wouldn't call them good friends. Hoping he would run into Ronnie Shaw, MacCready headed toward the armory. He took one step into the bastion and was met by Danse.

They stared at each other for a minute. MacCready tried to side-step the obviously taller and more muscular man. "Danse…" MacCready said, with a nod.

"MacCready…" Danse replied, not moving.

The two men stood there for a minute before MacCready decided he was uncomfortable. "Well, it's been swell catching up, but I got to see an ornery old woman about some ammo, so…"

"Where did you get that coat?" Danse asked. Danse wasn't budging and MacCready couldn't find a way around him.

"What, this old thing?" MacCready laughed nervously. "Well, it was part of the deal to get the girls here. Friends and family discount, because Piper is one shrewd negotiator." When Danse stepped closer, MacCready tried to save face. "I'll give it back, I promise! I wasn't going to keep it, the damn thing barely fits me anyway. I mean, that Maxson guy must be huge because I've have to adjust this thing like…" MacCready pointed to the belt but stopped talking when he saw how angry Danse was. "…yeah, forget the ammo, I'm just going to go check on the girls…"

MacCready stepped backwards and then did a full sprint toward the radio tower. He didn't know where he was going but he knew he needed to get away from Danse. MacCready made his way into the other bastion and walked into a big room. He shut the doors and took a few deep breaths. He took of the jacket and threw it on a nearby table. MacCready heard soft moaning coming from the far side of the room. He looked over and saw Nora laying on a bed.

Nora sat up and wiped her eyes. MacCready could tell she had been crying and probably fell asleep crying. He decided not to press her. "Have a good sleep, Doll Face?" he asked, sitting in a chair at the table.

"No." Nora sighed, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "This whole trip was a mistake."

"No it wasn't." MacCready said, trying to smile. "You came here to check on the toy soldier, and you did. Mission accomplished. Now, we can rest for a few days and then get back on the road. I won't even charge you for it."

"You're sweet." Nora groaned. She stretched a bit and made her way to the table. "I don't know what I expected coming here. I guess I was expecting him to thank me profusely for helping him."

"You can't help someone who doesn't want help." MacCready said, taking out a pack of cigarettes.

"I know that." Nora said. She picked the coat off the table and stared at it. The felt the Brotherhood of Steel insignia and hugged the jacket close. "I just couldn't stand to see that hopeless look in his eyes. It didn't seem natural for Danse."

"There's really nothing natural about him, now." MacCready laughed, popping a cigarette in his mouth. He stopped when he saw how unamused Nora was. "Sorry. Look, I can see what you tried to do, and I'm sure in his own way, Danse appreciates you finding him a place here. But you have to see things from his perspective." MacCready lit is cigarette, not believing he was about to defend Danse of all people. He took a long drag from the cigarette and blew the smoke at the ceiling. "His whole world flipped upside down in less than a day. That's not an easy transition. He went from having his own quarters and the admiration of an entire army to sleeping in a basement and being just another face in the crowd."

Watching MacCready take small drags and blow out smoke made Nora want a cigarette too. She was never a smoker before the war, but she occasionally had a few nowadays. "You'd think he'd be happy just being another face in the crowd." She sighed, holding the jacket close.

"A man can't be too happy with a big target painted on his forehead." MacCready replied.

Nora sighed and put the jacket on. "It was stupid of me to think he'd be okay with everything."

"I wouldn't say stupid. I may not know you as well as Piper or Elder Maxson, but I like to think you're an intelligent woman." MacCready took a long drag and put the cigarette out in a butt filled ashtray. "Your heart was telling you what you wanted to hear. Cheesy, yes. But true in its own way. You weren't wrong for caring about Danse's well-being."

With a teary smile, Nora nodded her thanks. "You're a sweet guy, MacCready."

MacCready smiled back. He couldn't imagine Danse being mad at such a caring woman. Before he could say anything else, the doors flew open. Standing in the doorway was Ronnie Shaw. She looked at the two and nearly spit, despite MacCready and Nora being at least three feet from each other. "Alright kids, break it up." She said. "General, I hate to break up whatever the hell it is you two were planning on doing in here, but we got a problem."

"We weren't planning on doing anything." MacCready said.

Ronnie waved MacCready away and stood before Nora. Nora stood up. "What's going on, Ronnie?"

"Elder Loverboy is on the horn looking for you again. We got him on our communications radio, the one we normally use to talk to our settlements and to our traders. This time, he ain't hiding behind Proctor Ingram. It's the big man himself. I got Piper stalling him, but I think it's just making him angrier. I don't know how long she can hold him before his warship starts firing on us. I'm not sure if it can, but I don't want to take chances." Ronnie said.

"The Prydwen isn't built for combat. Where's Danse?" Nora asked.

Ronnie shrugged. "I don't have a gosh-damned clue, General. Whenever we get someone on the radio from the airport, he does a disappearing act. Can't say I blame him, but we're running out of excuses on why Maxson shouldn't come over here and look for you himself."

MacCready looked at Nora, who looked scared. Since Danse wasn't going to be a man about this situation, MacCready decided he was going to be. "Ronnie, get Piper off the radio before Maxson gives the order to turn this place into a smoldering crater. Tell him Nora's not here." MacCready said. "No matter what he says, Nora isn't here. Got that?"

Ronnie didn't appreciate MacCready giving her orders, but left anyway. Nora started to follow, but MacCready stopped her. "Maxson is tearing apart the Commonwealth looking for you. Suppose he finds you here. Do you know who else he'll find?"

Nora's eyes widened. "Danse…" she put her hand to her heart and tried not to think about it. "It'd be a stupid move to attack the Castle without provocation. The entire Commonwealth is already weary about the Brotherhood. Destroying the Minutemen, the only people who care enough to protect the Commonwealth without wanting anything in return, would only tarnish their image. Besides, Maxson gave me his word that he wouldn't hurt Danse."

"And you believed him?" MacCready asked. "Who's to say he didn't have his fingers crossed? He might have been planning to take Danse out before your little encounter with him. He might still be planning it, now that you're gone. No, it's safer for you to stay out of sight."

MacCready left the room and found himself not far behind Ronnie. MacCready could hear Piper arguing with someone outside at the radio tower. "So, Elder, got any more words for the good people? Everyone is just itching for a follow-up to my last article. What have you been up to since Blue flew the coop? Been keeping yourself occupied? I hear your boys over there liked my article! I love hearing from the readers! What do you think of this title for the follow-up: _'Knight of Passion Part 2: Forbidden_ _Desires'_?" she shouted into the microphone. "I think my readers would love a direct quote from Elder Stud Muffin himself! You know, the stuff Blue wouldn't let me print was just as juicy!"

" _Miss Wright, the only reason I haven't ordered you killed on sight is because my missing paladin might be with you."_ Elder Maxson's voice was strong and came in loud and clear. _"Since you're at the Castle, my suspicions are that she can't be too far away. Now, is she there or not?!"_

"Now, now, Artie, don't dodge the questions!" Piper said, looking around at the Minutemen who came to hear this. Piper smiled when Ronnie and MacCready came back. She put her hand over the microphone and tried not to panic. "I'm running out of material! Where's Blue?"

MacCready nodded toward the General's Quarters. "We can't tell him she's here. If he comes over looking for her, he'll find Danse, too. I don't know Maxson, but seeing as his goons are all over the place, I don't think he'll hold up his end of the bargain to spare the Toy Soldier. We might have to make a quick run for it."

Piper didn't like the sound of that. She wanted to rest for a few days. But she knew they couldn't put the Minutemen in danger because Maxson had an itch to scratch. "Can't she just come on real quick and let him down easy? You have to admit, this is kind of silly."

MacCready nodded, but then thought about it and shook his head. "He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy to take rejection well. He's already got his tin men roaming around looking for us."

Ronnie looked like she was getting sick and tired of this game. There could be settlers in trouble and they wouldn't know because Elder Maxson was tying up the line. Ronnie grabbed the microphone from Piper and cleared her throat. "Now you listen here, you damn idget; we don't have time for this foolishness! We got settlements to help and we ain't no dating service! And if I see any of your tin men over here poking around where they don't belong, we will assume it's a hostile gesture and open fire! You want to do some trading? Put Proctor Ingram on and we'll talk. But the Minutemen ain't got the time to mess around with some love sick kid parading around in big boy pants!"

While Ronnie and Maxson had their shouting match over the radio, Piper and MacCready hurried over to Nora, who was standing in the doorway to the bastion. "Artie is looking for you. Now he and Ronnie are having a big kid pissing contest over the radio." MacCready said, looking back at the radio every now and then. MacCready was actually kind of impressed.

They watched Ronnie yell into the microphone a few times and then calm down a bit. She started light-heartedly laughing and eventually put the microphone down. Ronnie walked over to Nora's little group with a satisfied smirk. "Elder Lover Boy finally gave up and put Ingram on the radio. I like Ingram, she knows how to get stuff done."

Nora wasn't sure if Ronnie and Proctor Ingram had actually met outside of their radio conversations. She imagined they'd get along quite well then, too. "We probably shouldn't stick around here very long." Nora said, reluctantly. She looked over at the armory wing and saw Danse leaning against the wall inside. She let out a long breath and looked down at Dogmeat, who had joined them after his nap by the radio tower was interrupted by the shouting. Nora saw a Vertibird leave the airport from the distance. Luckily it was going in the opposite direction.

Piper crossed her arms. "Does it even matter if we keep a low profile at this point?" she asked. "Maxson has eyes everywhere."

"I'll keep an eye on things here." Ronnie said. "If you three want to skedaddle, I'll hold down the fort and we'll radio if we need assistance. With Danse here, it's a lot easier."

Nora looked over toward the armory and saw that Danse was gone. She sighed and nodded, unintentionally straightening out the jacket she wore. She thought about heading toward Diamond City, but soon realized it didn't matter what they did. She couldn't make any decisive move until everything had a chance to die down. She couldn't make a solid plan about taking on the Institute or what to do with the Minutemen or figure out where she stood with the group known as the Railroad until she had a solid plan herself. Nora sighed, deciding that lying low for a bit was probably the best option at this point. "Maybe we should just go back to Sanctuary. I guess at this point it doesn't matter. We can figure something out there."

"Will you need an escort?" Ronnie asked.

"We got that covered." MacCready said, happily pointing a thumb at himself. "If we leave tonight, we can probably be back in Sanctuary by late tomorrow afternoon, assuming we haul ass and don't make too many pit stops."

Before they could go to pack anything, the radio man came running up to them. "General, I have an urgent message for you." He said, breathlessly.

"Oh, what does Maxson want now?" Piper asked.

"It's not from the Brotherhood." The radio man said. "It's from one of our scout teams near the ruins of Quincy. One of our flares was seen going up by the outskirts. When they went to check, they immediately radioed for a medic."

"So, send a medic." Nora said, shrugging.

"We did. But the team is having a hard time getting the person to calm down." The radio man took out the piece of paper he wrote the note on. "They were found someone unconscious in the marsh just outside the ruins by a Ghoul family. The medic's message was simple and rushed, not giving many details, but seems to me like a junky in some kind of Psycho-psychosis. They are requested you specifically."

Nora was hoping it was just another junky, but when the word Psycho came up, Nora's eyes widened. She looked at the radio man, asking for the coordinates. He put them into her Pip-Boy and gave her the note he had written. Nora ran to the General's Quarters and started repacking her bag. MacCready and Piper ran in with Dogmeat.

"Blue, do you think…" Piper started as Nora threw things into the pack. When Nora didn't answer, Piper turned to MacCready. "…it can't really be who you think it is, do you?"

"It's too precise to be a coincidence." MacCready said. "They wouldn't call her specifically if it was just another junky."

Nora slung the pack over her shoulder. "Only one way to find out."

Without saying another word, Nora, Piper, MacCready, and Dogmeat left the Castle, heading toward Quincy. They would need to take the long route around University Point and bypass Quincy itself all together. It had been cleared of Gunners, but Nora knew they usually regrouped after a few days and Quincy was too good of a vantage point for them to give up without a fight.

* * *

Proctor Ingram put down the ham radio's microphone and turned to Maxson, who was pacing back and forth cursing to himself. Joining Ingram in watching this show was Dr. Madison Li. Li had been recruited from the Institute by the same woman Maxson was looking for. No one was sure if this was irony or not, but it was certainly something to talk about. Ingram and Li didn't normally see eye-to-eye, but they both found this spectacle amusing.

"Well, I managed to salvage that without ruining any important trade deals." Ingram said. "I think it might be best to leave the negotiations with the Minutemen to me from now on, Sir."

"I don't know how you put up with that ornery old woman whenever you make trading arrangements with the Minutemen." Maxson growled.

"Why do you think Teagan and Gavil won't do it anymore?" Ingram said, wishing she could cross her arms. "She's quartermaster over there, and acting commander. So, talking to her is priority when making trade deals and letting them know a scav team is in the area."

Dr. Li, who always seemed to have a clipboard in her hand for one reason or another, just stood there. She didn't have a way with words and knew anything she said would just make Maxson madder. Dr. Li was a woman of science and facts, and the fact of the matter was this paladin Maxson was so bent on finding wasn't going to be easy to bring back into the flock. The amusing simple science of why Maxson wanted her back so badly when he had so many other soldiers at his disposal was not lost on her, either.

"We can finish the project without her." Dr. Li finally said. "She wasn't that integral to the process anyway. Yes, she got us the right components, but she didn't actually help build Prime. All the she really did was press a button. If she had stayed, she just would have gotten in the way."

Maxson stopped and glared at Li, telling her in his own silent way to be quiet. Li wasn't as scared of Maxson as everyone else seemed to be. That she had in common with Ingram. "She is walking around with sensitive Brotherhood information and she was friends with Danse." Maxson said, not directing his comment to anyone in particular.

"Are you sure that's what this is about?" Dr. Li asked. "As if the Brotherhood of Steel couldn't sustain any more damage by that article that's flying around or the obvious criticisms already floating around, I don't think a little wayward soldier should be at the top of the Brotherhood's to-do list." Li didn't smile, and Ingram wasn't sure if she was actually capable of doing so outside of simple snide smirks.

"I wouldn't put telling scouting missions to keep an eye out for an AWOL soldier on the top of any to-do list." Maxson said.

"Screaming at an old woman over the radio sounds like you just did." Dr. Li said. She was always calm, no matter the situation. In all that she had seen, nothing surprised her anymore. "But you keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. I hear the nights in the Commonwealth get quite cold…"

Maxson was about to say something, but decided to let it go. He walked away from the garage with purpose, but for what, neither woman knew. Ingram chuckled to herself and looked down at Dr. Li. "That was good one." She admitted with a chuckle. "How long do you think he can keep running from the truth?" she asked.

Dr. Li shrugged. "Why? Are you thinking of getting in on that pool?" Dr. Li gave Ingram that snide smirk she was getting famous for.

"Depends, what's the current bet?" Ingram asked.

"So far, most of the scribes have their money on a few months. Though, my money is on a few weeks." Dr. Li looked at her clipboard, though mostly out of habit. "But I'm mostly just in it to hear him admit he's a lovesick teenager who messed up badly."

Ingram nodded. "That's not a safe bet, because he'll never admit that. The need for companionship makes people do crazy things. I've seen it firsthand many times. I can't tell you how many Brotherhood soldiers threw their entire careers away because they were thinking with their hoo-ha's and not their brains."

"Brains are a hot commodity in the Commonwealth, though in short supply. I wouldn't say your Elder is an idiot, he's clearly an intelligent man. But having intelligence and using it are two different things." Dr. Li said. The two women walked back to the tarmac to inspect the work being down on Liberty Prime. "Though, I will say this…" Dr. Li said as they gazed upon the almost complete Liberty Prime. "Something needs to be done about this wayward paladin Maxson has a crush on. Maxson hasn't given a straight forward order in weeks and most of us are at a loss. I'm running out of excuses for your scribes when they ask what they should do next. I'm almost tempted to tell them to paint flames on the sides just the keep them occupied."

Ingram looked up at Prime and tried to think of a solution. "I'll try and talk Maxson into backing off finding Paladin Howard. He usually listens to me and Kells. I think combined, we might actually convince him. We don't have the time and resources to help him with his clearly doomed love life."

Both women looked up at Liberty Prime. Though both women were confident in their endeavors, neither were certain what the future would bring.

* * *

 **Hi, hi all!**

 **So, I'm not sure what's going on, but last time I posted a chapter, I got a weird error message. Though the chapter posted, I didn't get the usual confirmation e-mail that comes with it and I'm a little scared everyone else didn't either. So, if you hadn't already, go check out the previous chapter and review it if you please. I don't want anyone getting lost in the story because things are about to get crazy.**

 **I got a few surprises in store for the next few chapters that I think you guys are going to love. Also, I'm having a hard time deciding which chapter I want to post next. I already have two upcoming chapters in the works and I'd like your input. I always try to give my readers the best experience, but I often question my confidence as a writer.**

 **One chapter, which I actually planned as the next chapter, would be a short one. It'd be mostly a meeting Maxson is having with his officers. While they are discussing their next course, Maxson's mind keeps wandering. It gets to the point where they pretty much force him to face not only his bad judgement on the Danse and Nora situation, but also the criticisms already flying around about the Brotherhood of Steel.**

 **The other chapter would be about Nora, Piper, and MacCready's arrival on the outskirts of Quincy and what (or who, rather), they find there.**

 **I realized I was painting myself into a corner with this whole Maxson/Nora/Danse love triangle. I do want to keep it going, but I don't want it to get stale and boring. I feel that after reading the article, Danse would probably keep Nora at arm's length, since he was still coming to grips with his true identity. In the game, after convincing Maxson to spare him, Danse is still Brotherhood to the end even if he is Public Enemy #1. I wish the game gave Danse a little more sustenance after that quest. I would have loved to see Danse come to terms with his banishment and put himself towards another purpose.**

 **So, how did I do? Let me know in a review which chapter you'd like to see next and if you liked this one as well. I hope to keep this going for as long as possible. I have quite a few awesome surprises for you guys that I think you'll love!**

 **Also, don't forget to follow me on Tumblr and deviantArt for updates on my fics, random ramblings, or stuff I just find interesting.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	11. Fear and Loathing

_The Battle Coat_

Fear and Loathing

"We were somewhere around Quincy on the edge of the territory when we saw the flare signal." said one of the Minutemen. "Those Ghoul farmers found her in the marsh, barely responsive." He pointed to the Peabody Family, a little family of Ghouls that Nora had helped a few months ago, standing on their dilapidated porch. "The lady, I think she said her name was Carol, was doing her morning foraging for wild mutfruit when she found the woman barely responsive near the fallen highway. Good thing you gave them those Minutemen flares."

Nora and Piper stepped into the makeshift field hospital that the Minutemen had set up outside the Peabody residence. The ruins of Quincy sat silent behind them. Though cleared of Gunners for the most part, Nora didn't see the place as a priority for the Minutemen to take back. Not yet, anyway. The place held too many bad memories for some of the returning veterans. Scavengers had already started picking the place clean, anyway. The cold wind coming from the direction of the town made Nora wrap the heavy battle coat she wore a little tighter.

"I wanted them to be able to find us if the Gunners ever came back." Nora said, looking over at the Ghoul family. She waved to them and they happily waved back. She was hoping today would be the day she could convince them to move somewhere safer.

MacCready, who had just come back from his perimeter inspection of the small farm, shook his head. "Yeah, after that, I don't think they're coming back." He said, instinctively reaching for a pack of cigarettes in one of his pockets. "Unless those scavengers give us trouble, I think we're fine. So, what's going on?"

Nora pointed to the sorry looking person on the makeshift cot. MacCready's eyes widened. Piper, her notepad always ready, starting jotting down notes. She was doing an ongoing story of the revival of the Minutemen and this was gold. She hoped this would be bigger than her piece on Nora's little romp with Elder Maxson, but that story was still gaining momentum. With the increased Brotherhood of Steel presence around the Commonwealth, the snowball was only getting bigger.

"Holy shit!" MacCready said, putting his gun down. "Is that Cait?!"

The woman on the cot, a scrawny red-headed waif, was indeed Cait. Cait wasn't so much a friend as she was an acquaintance to Nora. Nora and Piper had stumbled into the Combat Zone looking for a dry place to rest during a radstorm. They wound up killing a gang of raiders and unintentionally buying Cait's contract. Nora got along with Cait well, though the two never saw eye-to-eye about much. Cait was a skilled fighter, and had a mean streak if provoked just enough. Or at all, actually.

When Cait started getting sloppy during their travels, Nora tried talking to Cait about her problems. Cait, of course, only gave Nora scant details. Running out of options and patience, they backtracked to Sanctuary and Nora told her she could stay there for a bit. Cait was skeptical. No one was ever nice to her without wanting anything in return. When she accused Nora of this, Nora said the only thing she expects from Cait while in Sanctuary is to pick tatos or guard the bridge entrance or just sleep off her highs, whatever it took to get Cait to clean up her act. People in Sanctuary tried to get along with Cait, but she seemed to stick out like a sore thumb around the hardworking settlers. Not really feeling like she belonged in the peaceful, quiet settlement, Cait decided she needed a pick-me-up. A few days later, Cait was gone.

Now, Cait was right in front of them on a cot. She was sweating profusely and her movements were jerky. She was also babbling incoherently in her Irish lilt. "Bats…bats all around me…" she moaned. "Don't stop here!" Cait almost sat all the way up, looking around as if she took a wrong turn somewhere. Her pale skin was red and patchy in places, where they assumed she was scratching imaginary itches.

"Well, this solves one mystery." said Piper, putting her notebook in her pocket. "But it raises so many others."

Cait started breathing heavily. "God's mercy on you swine! Kill the body and the head will die!" she shouted before plopping back down on the cot, barely conscious. Nora rubbed her forehead, trying to drive off the headache she was getting.

"Sounds like someone's got _the fear_." MacCready mumbled, chuckling to himself.

The Minutemen acting as medic leaned down and examined Cait again. He opened her eyes and took a small light to them. Her pupils were so dilated, the medic thought the iris had completely disappeared. "I've seen this before in settlements close to the city. Cold sweats, violent shivering, redness of the eyes, dilated pupils, violent muscle spasms, hallucinations, and inaudible nonsense speech. Yep, definitely Psycho withdrawal." The medic said. "She probably ran out a few days ago and was stumbling around here when Mrs. Peabody found her. I gave her some of the addictol we had in our kit bag and it should help her come down, but I don't think it will help in the long run."

"Why not?" asked Nora, crossing her arms.

The Medic shook his head, hoping this convinced Nora that he was genuinely sorry. "General, I used to live in Goodneighbor before I joined up with the Minutemen. I've seen what Psycho addiction does to people first hand. It eventually turns them into animals if it doesn't kill them first. Addictol is not a miracle chem, it only works in small cases like an addict just starting out. But this…" The medic pointed to Cait again, who looked like she was about to vomit up a giant slug. "…this has got to be the worst Psycho addiction I've ever seen. By medical standards, this woman should be dead. Hell, I'm surprised Mrs. Peabody didn't find buzzards picking at what's left of her. Ironically, I think the Psycho is the only thing keeping her body from completely shutting down. I'll give her some more addictol before I release her to you. It'll calm her down, but it'll only get worse. She might be a bit delusional as the psycho leaves her system, and might have a few 'accidents'. Expect it to get messy in more ways than one."

Nora shook her head, refusing to believe Cait was a lost cause. "Are you sure there is nothing we can do?" she asked.

The medic shrugged. "I wish I could do more, General. I really do. At this point, I think going cold turkey will do more harm than good. Poor thing. I've seen withdrawal get bad, but this…"

Those last few words rang in Nora's mind for the rest of the day. When the Minutemen had packed up and left, MacCready moved Cait into the Peabody house. The Peabody's didn't have much room, but Carol put out some spare blankets and they laid Cait out on the floor upstairs. She had stopped shivering and convulsing long enough to fall asleep peacefully. Carol checked on her and changed the wet rag on her head every hour or so.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble." Nora said, helping Matt peel tatos for the broth they were making.

"It's no trouble at all. We all have to help each other if we're going to make it in this world." Matt said, lighting a match for the fire outside. The stove in the house didn't work anymore, so most of the meals the Peabody family had were made on cooking stations outside. One big pot for stews and a big fire for roasting meats and such on a big rusty spit. "It's the least we can do to thank you for helping us find our boy."

Nora smiled sadly while watching Matt prepare the spit with meat from what she assumed was a molerat. "I know that if Shaun had gotten lost, I'd want someone to help him find his way home, too." Nora tried not to cry. She didn't reveal about how lost Shaun was. That was a conversation for another day. "Have you and Carol given any thought to my offer?"

Matt chuckled and put some unknown vegetables in the stew pot while Nora peeled another tato. "We have. We appreciate you finding us a place at that all Ghoul settlement, but we're happy here. This is our home and we've defended it from much worse than those Gunners over the years."

Before Nora could give another argument, Carol came outside with a pot of water filled with used rags. "Poor thing's still running a fever. She stopped vomiting, at least." Carol said, tossing the old water from the pot into the marsh nearby. "I have your friend in the red coat sitting up there with her. Where did your other friend go?"

Nora looked around. "MacCready? He said he was going to check the town for some salvage and maybe some medical supplies."

Carol nodded and put the pot next to the backdoor steps. "I used to be a nurse back before I married Matt." She said, wringing out some damp rags. "We had all kinds of addicts come into our hospital and addictol was usually given to them before they were sent on their way. I had always hoped we could do more for them, but the doctors were so overwhelmed and most funding went towards the war. I hate seeing that poor woman up there, suffering."

"You were a nurse?" Nora asked.

Carol nodded. "I actually met Matt at the hospital I worked at." Carol smiled to Matt, who looked embarrassed.

Matt sighed longingly. He smiled at Carol and took her hand. "I was a mechanic before the war, at the Red Rocket garage where the Atom Cats have taken up residence." Matt tilted his head in the direction of the Red Rocket near the coast. They could see the lights from there, though they were dim. "I was working on one of those big atomic powered cars. I must have turned something the wrong way because the next thing I knew, the damn thing ignited. I made it out of the garage in time for the shockwave to blast me into the dumpster outside the shop. I woke up at Medford Hospital a day later to Carol changing my bandages. I don't know how I didn't burn to a crisp, but I'm glad I didn't." Matt winked at Carol, who giggled girlishly.

Carol looked like she had more to say, but distracted herself by getting more water from the pump. "Do we have any more of those purification tablets?" she asked.

"Check the cabinet over the old stove. I just bought some from a trader not too long ago." said Matt, stirring the pot. He watched Carol go back into the house with a refilled pot for Cait. Matt sighed. "I love Carol, and I've loved her since she was changing my bedpan at the hospital. I sometimes think she regretted leaving her nurse job to stay home with Billy."

"Why do you say that?" Nora asked.

Matt chuckled. "We had only been dating about six months when things got a little hot one night, if you catch my drift. A few weeks later, she comes to my job like she usually did. We used to have lunch together on days she wasn't working. I knew something was wrong because the shop hadn't even opened up yet. She then tells me she's pregnant. I took her to the justice of the peace on my lunch break. I told her I always intended on marrying her and now I had an excuse to do it sooner. When Billy was born, she left the hospital and stayed home. I was making decent money at the garage, and I told her she could go back to work when Billy started school. But she stayed home. I sometimes wonder if she regrets how fast things went. Now that we have all the time in the world, things aren't as rushed as they used to be."

Upstairs, Carol wringed out another rag and put it on Cait's forehead. Piper, sitting on the floor next to Cait, just watched. "So, you said earlier you used to be a nurse?" Piper asked, hoping to break the awkward silence in the room.

"Oh, many years ago. It comes in handy when dealing with a little boy and a husband." Carol chuckled. She wrung out another rag and started washing the sweat off Cait's neck. "Poor thing. I used to treat people with addictions like this. I remember some would wake up screaming. Some got so bad, we had to transport them to Parsons when there was nothing else we could do."

Piper wrote some of this down. She could see a good story coming from Cait's addiction. She wasn't too fond of Cait herself, but Piper felt if she could get the word out of what Psycho addiction could ultimately lead to, then maybe they'd have a few less crazies roaming around. The path of Greater Good was filled with potholes. Piper knew that all too well. She also wanted to change some opinions in Diamond City about Ghouls. It wouldn't help convince that windbag of a mayor to let Ghouls back in, but it should still get the people talking.

Clearing her throat, Piper continued to probe Carol for a story. "My friend outside told me she offered you and your family a place at one of the Minutemen aligned settlements up north. Have you thought about going there?"

Carol sighed. "I wouldn't mind going somewhere safer, but Matt is so dead-set on staying here. He says it's the principal of the matter. This was our home and it's the only home we've ever known."

Piper nodded. "I can see why he'd be attached to it. But you sound unsure."

"That's because I am. I love Matt and I loved this home when it wasn't a dilapidated mess. We didn't care about our own safety. We're Ghouls, there isn't much going for us anyway. But before Billy came back, the only thing keeping us here was the memories of our son. Now that Billy is alive, I'm scared for our safety again." Carol finished wiping down Cait and put the rag back in the pot. "I'm going to try and talk Matt into moving again once you guys leave. Stay as long as you like, though. It'll give me time to find the right words." Carol let out a grating snicker and checked the rag on Cait's head.

Piper stared down at Cait, who'd stopped writhing long enough to go to sleep. "Poor Cait. I wish there was more we could do for her."

Carol looked like she had something to say again, but tried to get it off her mind. Carol finally gave up. "Listen, I might know a way. But you must understand, it's a long shot…"

Outside, Billy sat on the porch looking out onto the quiet town with Dogmeat by his side. He looked up and saw MacCready coming back from his scavenger mission. Billy hopped off the step and ran toward him with Dogmeat not far behind. "Find anything good, Mr. MacCready?" Billy asked.

MacCready smiled and put his small sack down. "I had to beat up an crabby old scavenger, but I got us some medical supplies and some canned goods." MacCready made sure Billy's parents weren't around and reached into the sack. He pulled out little rocket shaped bottle of Nuka-Cola and handed it to Billy. "Don't tell your parents." He whispered with a wink. Billy winked back and ran to the porch. Dogmeat lingered a bit and let MacCready pat his head. MacCready tossed Dogmeat a snack cake from his personal stash. "Here you go, Boy. Don't let Nora know I've been giving you these. I'll never hear the end of it."

Dogmeat gobbled the cake up and trotted after MacCready toward the back of the Peabody homestead. Dogmeat barked and alerted Nora to MacCready's return. "Find anything good?" she asked, turning from the big stew pot to face him.

"I nearly die getting you decent salvage and that's the first thing I hear from you?" MacCready joked, handing over the sack of supplies. "Some medical supplies and assorted chems for us, and some canned goods and vegetables for our gracious hosts."

Matt nodded his thanks and went to the campfire with a rotisserie spit over it. He started turning the handle so the meat would roast evenly.

Nora looked out into the marsh and brought the big coat closer again. "It's definitely getting cold." She said.

"Winters are tough here in the Commonwealth." Matt said, not looking up from the roasting meat. "But we'll be alright. I'm worried about your friend upstairs, though. If it's as bad as Carol says it is, and remember she used to be a nurse so she knows her stuff, then your friend probably won't make it through the winter."

MacCready looked over at the deserted town again. "Feels unnatural, seeing Quincy so deserted."

"Welcome to everyday of my life and everywhere I've been since leaving the Vault." said Nora.

Dogmeat barked when the backdoor opened up again, revealing Piper and Carol. Nora walked over, but Carol answered before she could ask anything. "Your friend is asleep. She was asking why the floor was made of blood and where the lizards got golf shoes, but we calmed her down. I still don't have high hopes of her recovering fully."

Nora nodded, sat down on a nearby crate, and tried to think. "We can't just abandon her. Cait has been through too much to just be left somewhere."

Piper nudged Carol, who nodded and took a deep breath. "I told Ms. Wright this upstairs, but I was keeping it from you because I didn't want to give you any false hope. When I was working as a nurse before the war, there were rumors of a vault to the west that was made specifically to treat addicts. I heard that they had this state-of-the-art device used to purge toxins from the body, completely curing someone of whatever they're addicted to. I never believed it because it sounded too good to be true. But one day, while I was foraging around the outskirts of town, I heard two Gunners talking about the vault. I don't know if I was relieved or terrified that such a place actually existed."

MacCready leaned against the wall of the house, careful not to break anything. "Those bastards at Vault-Tec weren't exactly known for their charity work. Those Vaults were just underground labs and the people were just guinea pigs. With Vault-Tec, there was always a catch. Just ask Nora. She saw it first-hand."

Everyone looked at Nora, but she said nothing. MacCready grew up near a Vault, but didn't like to talk about it. Nora would talk about it, but only gave scant details.

Carol continued. "Anyway, I know there is a Vault the Gunners were using as a base. Vault 95, I think. Right on the edge of the Glowing Sea. I think that's the treatment vault."

After dinner, and when the Peabody family went to sleep, Nora and her little group made their camp outside. MacCready had moved Cait outside so her feverish moaning wouldn't disturb the Ghoul family. Nora dug into the jacket pocket and found a single bottlecap. She flipped it a few times in her fingers, trying to distract herself.

"Well, I've done all I could." Piper said, leaving the tent. "The addictol that Minuteman medic gave us should keep her calm, but we're running low."

Nora nodded, gave up on the bottlecap, and put it back in the jacket pocket. "We have to do something. Cait is getting weaker by the minute."

Piper crossed her arms. She never particularly liked Cait, but she hated seeing anyone suffer like that. She wouldn't wish what was happening to Cait on anyone. "Let's say this rehab vault exists and Vault-Tec did at least one good thing while destroying countless other lives." Piper mused, looking in the direction the supposed Vault. "It's crawling with Gunners. We can't take Cait into a Vault filled with military wannabes, not in her state. She's as helpless as a day-old molerat pup and we'll be too busy defending ourselves to defend her."

The two women didn't notice how silent MacCready was being as they discussed what to do. They knew MacCready wanted nothing to do with the Gunners. He didn't want to be anywhere near Quincy if it could be helped, but when he saw the city was silent (save for some scavengers), he relaxed a bit. MacCready threw down his cigarette and told Piper and Nora that he was going to do some scavenging. Nora didn't see why, but didn't get a chance to argue when he left. He whistled to Dogmeat, who followed him. Nora was starting to get a little jealous of how much Dogmeat liked being around MacCready. She waved that feeling away.

Piper put a small ceramic bowl on a metal stand over the small fire. She was heating up some of the strew from earlier for Cait. "She'll be hungry when she wakes up. She threw up more than she ate." Piper said, stirring the contents of the bowl with a little spoon. "If she isn't hungry by now, I'd be concerned."

Nora sat back and looked up at the stars. "It's so clear out here." She said. "I guess I'll never get used to it. In my day, the city lights drowned out anything that wasn't a plane passing over. Now, it looks like I can just reach up and grab a star with my hand." Nora let out a sad laugh and looked over at the tent. She sighed and looked at Piper. "I shouldn't have pushed Cait to get clean. I should have known better than that."

"You were looking out for her. But like with Danse, you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped." Piper said. "Danse just needs time to cool off, though. Cait, on the other hand…" Piper snorted and looked out on the marsh.

Nora knew Piper didn't really like Cait. They were too different to be anything more than acquaintances. In Sanctuary, the two often argued. Piper wanted to make the Commonwealth a better place and Cait thought Piper was waiting her time. Piper would then argue that her paper has done more for the Commonwealth than Cait ever has jabbing herself in the arm with Psycho. Cait would smirk, saying Piper's paper has helped Cait out on more than one occasion when she needed to use the outhouse. The shouting match would last until Garvey or Sturges broke them up. It only got physical once. No one ever won that fight, though Piper got to keep some of Cait's hair as a consolation prize when they were finally pulled apart.

"Let it go, Piper." Nora said, exhausted. "When MacCready gets back, we'll head to Vault 95 and check it out. Do you think Carol was right?"

"She looked unsure." Piper said, sitting back down by the fire. "But she doesn't seem like someone that would purposely steer as in the wrong way." Piper looked over at the tent, squinting to see if Cait had fallen back asleep. She could barely see inside the tent, but didn't see anything moving. This both worried and reassured Piper. "Again, let's say this miracle vault exists and the answers to at least one of Cait's problems is behind those giant steel doors. Is it really going to work?"

Nora shrugged. Wearing the big battle coat, the leather made a soft swishing sound. "I don't know. For all we know, we could just be walking into a Gunner trap. But on the other hand, Cait has run out of options at this point. It's either take this long shot or end up face down in the marsh again." Nora stared into the fire with a sad look in her eyes. "Next time, there might not be a kindly Ghoul family to help her out. Next time it might just be scavengers that leave her there after picking her pockets. The wasteland is full of houses with skeletons that were just left there. Some were kicked to the side by scavengers who just wanted what was left inside. Their homes, their lives, just objects now. Does anyone sit and think about the people that used to live in an abandoned house? No."

Piper could see how sad Nora was. She lost her husband, her son, and her very way of life. The friends she had made in this new world were her family now. Piper knew Nora didn't like to be pitied. Nora accepted these truths long ago. Though Nora often told Piper she was fine and didn't want to talk about it, Piper knew that was far from the truth. Piper decided not to prod her too much about her life before the Great War. Piper felt it was ironic that Nora had no problem telling her about the steamy night with Elder Maxson, but only talked about her life before being frozen in Vault 111 in passing.

"I guess that explains why you're hesitant to do scavenger runs." Piper said. "I wish I could sympathize on that level, Blue. I really do."

Nora shook her head. "Forget it. Let's focus on Cait, then we can get to psychoanalyzing me." She let out a soft titter of laughter, but Piper knew she was forcing it. "A little while ago, Cait told me about her past. I can't believe she survived all that before we met her."

Piper was suddenly interested. "Survived what?" she asked.

"I can't tell you everything. I promised Cait. I don't think she'll mind if I tell you a little bit. Her parents weren't the nicest people." Nora looked over at the tent to make sure it was still. "They treated her like a dog and if it weren't for the belief that they loved her, just a little bit, she probably wouldn't have made it as long as she had. It led to…other bad things happening."

Piper nodded. "I guess we unraveled a little more of the mystery that is Cait. Small hopes can get us through the worst of times. Hoping for a better future for me and my sister got us through our dad's death and becoming social pariahs in Diamond City. The hope that we made that little settlement more aware to corruption, and the hope that being informed about the truth behind the Institute's dealings made the city a little safer gets me though the day. Of course, having a friend like you helps, too."

With a sad chuckle, Nora looked up at the sky again. She didn't like how much Piper liked to flatter her. It was normally followed by Piper asking her for a favor. "I hope someday, Cait sees me the way you do. As someone she can count on. I want her to see you that way, too."

Piper left out a loud laugh, though not loud enough to wake up the sleeping Ghouls inside. "Yeah, and then the Institute will reveal themselves as the Brotherhood of Steel throws a great big parade for me as I'm crowned Queen of the Commonwealth."

The two women laughed and then sat silent for a while. Nora checked her Pip-Boy and tried to find something on it. "There is a Vault near the edge of the Glowing Sea, according to my map function. Probably only a few hours walk. Maybe more if Cait's still too weak to walk."

"I vote we make MacCready carry Cait." Piper said.

"Seconded." Nora responded. Both women laughed again. "We should get some sleep. We'll make our way there in the morning."

The night went quiet. Nora and Piper snuggled into their sleeping bags next to Cait's in the tent. It was cramped, but they made do. Cait was the only one not asleep. In fact, she had been awake most of the day after the medics left her in Nora and Piper's care. She had heard everything. All the plans they made and their hopes for this Vault 95, even Nora giving Piper an edited version of her family history. Cait had heard of this place. Ironically, she had been on her way to this supposed rehab Vault when her Psycho bugaboo reared its ugly head. She tried to fight it, and she told herself she wasn't going to inject the last one she had in her pack. She could fight it. She'd fought raiders twice her size in the Combat Zone and barely got a scratch. Why couldn't she beat this little syringe?

Once again, the little injector had won. Cait found a nice quiet spot under the broken highway and jabbed her arm with the stuff. She wasn't sure how she ended up outside of Quincy, though. She looked over at Nora and Piper every so often and finally let out a long breath. Cait hugged her knees and shivered a bit while rocking back and forth. She could still feel the Psycho in her system. It was probably the only thing keeping her alive at this point. She knew the routine all too well. It would settle in her system and then she'd want more. Cait was so familiar with this routine, she already knew when she'd want more. Of course, as far gone as she was, it was a need now.

"You're bettin' on the wrong horse, you know." Cait whispered to the sleeping pair near her. She still felt sweaty and dizzy. "I know you think you're helpin' me, but let's face facts: I ain't worth helpin'. Me own parents didn't even bother to help me when I was taken away by those raiders. Course, they were the ones that sold me in the first place." Cait hugged her knees close. She sighed and laid back down. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She woke up and started to think about her life up until this point. Her eyes teared up a bit, thinking about everything. It all felt like a dream…

 _Cait was never sure how old she was. Her parents didn't bother to celebrate any of her birthdays until her eighteenth. Cait often wondered why her parents bothered to bring her over to the Commonwealth with them. She had heard her parents talk of a place called Ireland for years, but wasn't sure if she had ever been there._

 _Cait wasn't allowed to play with any other children or talk to anyone else wherever she and her parents settled. Sometimes, they'd pack up in the middle of the night and flee when they'd worn out their welcome in a settlement. That's how her parents worded it, anyway. Cait wasn't sure why her parents didn't just leave her somewhere if they didn't want her. If they weren't beating her for every minor infraction, they were yelling at her for no more reason than she was in the same room. It seemed nothing she ever did was right. The floor wasn't clean enough. The food was undercooked or burnt. Cait was smiling when there was nothing to smile about._

 _But the thought that even a little, teensy place in their cold, icy hearts belonged to Cait gave her enough comfort over the years. It had to be love, even in its most minute form. That's why they came after her each time she tried to run away. That's why they dragged her from one settlement to the next instead of leaving her to fend for herself. In their own, horrible, psychotic way, they loved Cait enough to give her a name and to bring her along with them._

 _Cait knew something wasn't right on what her parents said was her eighteenth birthday. It started out like any other day. She was to get up, make breakfast, and start her nearly endless list of chores. But she was surprised to see her parents standing over her with smiles on their faces. She wondered if they had ever been this happy to see her wake up. They told Cait today was a special day, because now she was eighteen and an adult. Cait thought this would lead to them giving her a few caps and saying "You're old enough, now get out of here", but they didn't. They had settled in a deserted patch of land she believed was once a park. When she was doing chores, she'd try to imagine what pre-war people did in this park all day._

 _Though she wasn't expecting fanfare, Cait certainly wasn't expecting raiders at their front door. Before Cait could react, a cattle prod struck her from behind and she fell into the arms of the leader. She was dazed, but able to see the leader hand a small satchel of caps to her parents and another raider snap a collar on her neck. That was when she learned she was eighteen. That was also the day she learned that there had never been a place in their hearts for Cait. All she was worth to them was a bag of caps. Whether they had been planning this since Cait's birth or if it just came to them that this would be a better option than just kicking her out, she didn't know. And now, she no longer cared._

 _Five years. Five long, grueling years of being passed around like a toy, being made to go on raids, forced to do hard labor, and made to sleep on the ground like a dog. It was barely any better than living with her parents. At least the raiders were nice enough to feed her once a day. There were times when Cait barely ate three meals a week when living with her parents. It didn't matter how old she was now. There was really only one thing on her mind. It took five years, but she had pocketed enough caps to buy her freedom from the raiders._

 _The moment the collar came off, Cait knew what she had to do. With the leftover caps, she bought a bottle of whiskey and a 10mm pistol. She wasn't sure if her parents were still in that shack or if they'd high-tailed it away. Luck was on her side for the first time in her entire life. Cait kicked in the door of the shack and saw her parents sitting on the moldy old couch. Just like always. It was like they hadn't moved from that spot in five years. The shocked look on their faces was worth the five years of torment and degradation she endured under the raiders._

" _Oh, Mummy! Daddy! I'm home!" she shouted, before unloading every piece of ammo she had into her parents. When the smoke cleared and she saw there was nothing left of her parents but a pile of bloody body parts on the floor, Cait downed her whiskey and walked away. She didn't bother burying them. They wouldn't have given her that courtesy, why should she give it to them? Why should she care about anyone but herself? Cait realized, as she tossed the gun into the grass nearby, that the only person that will look out for Cait, is Cait. She was the only friend she needed. Everyone else was just in the way or they wanted something from her. Never again would she let herself be fooled into thinking someone cared about her._

Cait opened her eyes. Last time someone said they cared about her ended with Cait being a contender in the Combat Zone. When Tommy Lonegan saw her fighting off an overly flirtatious man at a bar, he saw caps, not another soul trying to piece back together the shattered remains of her wondered what Nora and Piper saw when they first met Cait.

Putting her hands over her ears, Cait shook her head violently. What did all those people see when she walked around with Nora and Piper? Nora saw the good in Cait, though it took some convincing to make Piper see what Nora saw. Nora wanted to help. Of course, she did. Goody-two-shoes Nora wanted to help. Cait wanted to know who Nora thought she was. Holier-than-thou Nora, the woman from Vault 111, always doing good and helping others. The shining example. "You ain't no better than anyone else, Vault Girl." Cait hissed, sitting up. "Just because you helped a bunch of dirt eatin' settlers grow some tatos doesn't mean you're a hero!"

Cait crawled out of her cot and sat on her knees, looking down on sleeping Nora. Nora shifted in her sleep a little as Cait slowly pulled out a knife she kept in her boot. "You ain't better than me, Vault Girl." She hissed, raising the knife into slashing position.

Before Cait could do anything, she started shaking. She dropped the knife and grabbed her hair. She started convulsing and screaming, her eyes turning bloodshot. "Get it out of me!" she shouted, holding her head and writhing on the ground. Cait started clawing at her face, shouting that something was inside her.

Nora woke up at that moment and saw Cait slumped over, holding her head. Cait was sobbing loudly, but nothing she said made any sense. There was a knife beside her. Nora got out of her sleeping bag and kicked the knife away before making her way to Cait. Before Nora could help her, Cait suddenly jumped up and ran outside the tent. She screamed loudly and pulled at her hair. Cait once again fell to her knees, screamed a little more, and then suddenly stopped. She then fell sideways onto the ground.

To the relief of Nora, MacCready had returned with Dogmeat. Piper left the tent to see what all the commotion was about. She saw the knife on the ground and looked around for any blood splatter. Luckily, there was none. When Nora was able to get her wits about her, she ran to Cait, now unconscious on the ground. Dogmeat came running up to them at that point.

"What happened?" MacCready asked, running up and kneeling down next to Cait.

Matt Peabody, followed by Carol, ran out of their home at that moment. Matt had a shotgun while Carol armed herself with an old skillet. They saw the scene, looked at each other, and then at the group, hoping for some kind of answer. "We heard screaming. We thought the Gunners had come back." Matt said, putting his gun down.

"No, just a junky getting her second wind." said MacCready. "You folks get back to bed. We'll handle it from here. Sorry for the commotion."

Matt nodded and lead Carol back inside. Piper and Nora watched as MacCready slung Cait over his shoulder. "Is she going to be alright?" Nora asked.

MacCready shrugged as Cait moaned a bit. He took her pulse and made some reassuring grunts. "She'll be fine. She's probably just dazed." MacCready took a deep breath and walked with them back to the campsite. He saw the overturned tent and the chaos surrounding it. "I'm guessing the delusional anger fits kicked in." he said, noting the knocked over tent and their supplies strewn about.

"I was hoping she'd sleep through it." Nora said.

"Well, hope in one hand and crap in the other, as they say." MacCready said, with a snide smile. He picked up a knocked over folding chair and propped Cait up in it. "Well, the hopeful hand might fill up a little bit with what I'm about to tell you. I made my way to that vault Mrs. Peabody told us about. It's not far from one of your Minutemen settlements. Somerville Place?"

Nora nodded. Somerville Place hasn't so much a settlement as it was just a homestead with a man and his two kids. She'd helped him with his Feral Ghoul problem and she'd worked with the robots at Greygarden to set up a steady supply line for the settlers. At least one a month, a Mr. Handy bot appeared at the homestead with supplies. The homestead was isolated near the Glowing Sea and on the edge of a swamp, but she made sure a small Minutemen dispatch checked on them every now and then. She wasn't sure why it was called Somerville Place. Somerville, from what she remembered, was a town up north a ways. She wondered if that town still existed. Nora decided she'd think about it in depth later, as she had bigger items to take care of at the moment.

"Yeah, I know of it. It's still there, right?" Nora asked.

"Yeah, still a dilapidated house with a small farm near a mirelurk infested river." MacCready said. "I made my way to the Vault."

Nora and Piper looked surprised. "You're back from Vault 95 already?" Nora asked.

"What do you mean 'Already'? I've been walking all night! The sun will be coming up in a few hours." MacCready said. Nora hadn't even thought about what time it was. The shock of being woken up by crazed screaming was still fresh in her mind. "Well, anyway, I made our journey a little easier. I took out the Gunners at the entrance and on the first floor."

Nora was elated. "Robert Joseph MacCready, you are amazing!" she said, giving MacCready a hug.

MacCready blushed but slowly pushed Nora off. "Don't celebrate just yet. I only cleared the first floor. The door to the medical area was locked up tight. I don't know what lies on the other floors. Gunners aren't as dumb as Raiders. Raiders look for the simple answer and give up if punching, kicking, and shooting it don't work. Gunners actually think about a problem to get around it." MacCready went over to Cait, checked her pulse, and held her up. "Get some sleep. I'll watch Cait."

After putting Cait back on her sleeping bag, Nora and Piper tried going back to sleep. What was probably only two hours felt like an eternity. When it was decided that sleep wasn't going to happen, Piper and Nora got up and told MacCready it was time to get moving. Immediately, the group started packing up their camp. Every so often, one of them would look over at Cait. Mostly just to make sure she was still there. They were so busy packing, they didn't see Carol appear on the back porch holding a bag. Dogmeat barked and ran up to her, and she gave him a small pat on the head.

"Oh, did we wake you up again, Mrs. Peabody?" asked Nora, rolling up her sleeping bag.

"No, Matt and I normally get up around this time anyway." She said. "I hope you all find what you're looking for. Here, I made you some provisions for the road."

MacCready happily accepted the bag. "Are you sure it's okay?" he asked.

"You all have done so much for us, it's the least we can do." Carol said, with a smile. "I'm going to talk to Matt today about going to that Ghoul settlement up north. It'll be a good way for Billy to learn about other Ghouls, and it'll be safer. Please, if the Vault is real, be careful. I've never seen a Vault. But if what you and some of the local traveling merchants say is true, you're in for a real fight ahead."

MacCready smiled and put the provisions in his pack. "We'll be alright." He said.

Carol folded her arms and looked over at Nora and Piper putting things away. "I didn't want to say anything earlier because of all the fuss the redhead was giving you…" Carol started. "…but there's something off about Nora. She looks a little pale, don't you think?" Carol asked.

Looking over at the girls, MacCready shrugged. "I hadn't noticed anything." He said.

Carol nodded. "Keep an eye on her. I've seen many things in my time as a nurse and a Ghoul. Make sure she gets lots of rest when this is over."

With Cait on his back, MacCready lead Nora, Piper, and Dogmeat into the marsh, toward the broken road. Carol waved to them as they left.

The sun still hadn't come up yet. Now that they knew they way, they figured it'd be a shorter walk than it had been for MacCready. The way may have been shorter, but the walk was slower. MacCready carried Cait on his back the entire way.

It was almost sun-up when they reached the Vault 95. Nora hesitated a bit when Piper and MacCready walked toward the entrance. Being anywhere near a Vault made Nora nervous. She avoided them at all costs. She didn't even venture into Vault 111, not even to see what remained of her late husband. She couldn't understand why Vault-Tec would lie to her and her family. Why all the pain and suffering had to happen when the world had just ended.

"Blue, you okay?" Piper asked.

Nora nodded, telling herself that this wasn't about her. It was about helping Cait. Nora took a deep breath and followed Piper and MacCready inside. Dogmeat licked Nora's hand, and it comforted her a little. She had to stay focused on the task at hand.

"So, what are we going to do with her when this is over?" Piper asked as they approached an elevator. The entire entrance was in chaos. Broken furniture, blood and bodies strewn about, not to mention Vaults were creepy to begin with. "Are we going to carry Cait all over the Commonwealth?"

Nora thought for a moment. "We need to get her somewhere safe so she can recover fully."

"How about Sanctuary?" MacCready asked, as the elevator door dinged and opened. It announced the elevator had reached the first floor.

"You really want to carry Cait all the way to Sanctuary? You're running on Nuka-Cola, cigarettes, and sugary treats, MacCready. You've been spotting for us for days and I don't think I've seen you sleep since we left Goodneighbor." Nora said as they boarded. It was cramped in the elevator.

MacCready did look tired. He had bags under his eyes and he looked like he was losing his grip on Cait. "I'll be fine. Back when I was in the Gunners, there were times I went longer than this without sleep."

Nora thought and nodded to herself as she looked up as the elevator announced it had reached the main part of the Vault. "If I know the Gunners, and admittedly I don't know them as well as MacCready does, there should be a ham radio or some kind of means of communication somewhere in this Vault. We can radio for a Minutemen escort to meet us at Somerville Place with a brahmin cart and ride with them back to Sanctuary."

MacCready liked the thought of not carrying Cait anymore. He liked the thought of not walking even more, though most brahmin carts weren't big enough to hold more than one person. The thought of getting sleep was also quite alluring. He'd squeeze in somewhere if he had to. "If they do have a means of communication, we'll find it in the Overseer's office." said MacCready. He heard Dogmeat growl at the closed door to the medical wing of the Vault. "We'll need to make this quick. Gunners are punctual when checking in. If HQ doesn't hear back from this dispatch soon, they'll send another. We're no good in a fight with Cait in this condition."

Kicking trash and make-shift barricades out of the way and putting Cait on a chair, MacCready made his way where the signs said the Overseer's office was. He indeed found a ham radio and tuned it to the frequency Nora gave him. He ignored all the skeletons sitting in a circle in the office when he looked on the terminal for access to the medical wing after making the call. He tried to, anyway. When he came back down, he instructed Nora and Piper to follow him. Nora told Dogmeat to stay with Cait while they inspected the medical area.

It was quiet, save for Dogmeat's panting. Cait couldn't feel anything in her body. She could barely hold up her head. She had been awake for a while, but she hadn't said anything. She looked down at the dog laying at her feet. "Why…" she whispered. Dogmeat looked up at her. "Why are they helping me?" she asked. "I ain't worth savin'. Look at me. I'm a bloody mess. I was ravin' around like a madwoman and almost attacked the only friends I have because of this drug and yet I still feel a need for it. Why don't they just leave me here to die? I ain't worth their time."

Dogmeat whined and licked her hand. Cait's eyes widened a little more. She felt that. She felt Dogmeat's slobbery tongue but didn't feel disgusted. Cait chuckled sadly while she made her hand pat Dogmeat on the head. She didn't care much for Dogmeat, but she found herself warming up to him. Dogs didn't judge people. Dogs didn't care if you were a junky or not. Just like Nora didn't care.

"Someone legitimately wants to be my friend…" she said, a small tear forming in her eye. "Not just one person, an entire little army wants to see me well."

Cait started to nod off a bit, feeling tired. Dogmeat barked loudly when the medical wing doors opened. Covered in dust and specs of blood, Nora, Piper, and MacCready ran up to Cait. Nora felt Cait's pulse, looking relieved that Cait hadn't died. The world was muted to Cait. She could barely make out what Nora and Piper were saying as they hoisted her up and put her arms on their shoulders. She thought she heard MacCready shout that they needed to do this now and they hurried.

Before Cait knew it, she was being plopped in a chair. She saw Piper type at a computer in another room and Nora take her hand. She thought she heard Nora say it was going to be okay.

"What if it doesn't work?" Cait heard herself say.

"It will. We've come this far. We won't give up on you, Cait." Nora said. Cait saw MacCready take her other hand and then signaled to Piper to turn the device on. She heard Piper shout that it was starting and a piercing pain shot into Cait's neck. Everything started to spin. The images of Nora, Piper, and MacCready blurred and came back into focus many times. She saw four pairs of caring eyes before she blacked out.

When Cait opened her eyes again, she was outside of the Vault. MacCready was hurrying them along. Something was off about the world. It wasn't so hazy. Cait inhaled and felt the air enter her nose without problem at all. The air felt fresher and the world looked brighter. Before she knew it, they were at a little homestead being placed on a cot. She was shivering, and when she heard the settler apologize to Nora about not having any spare blankets, Cait saw Nora take off the big jacket and place it on top of her.

It was warm, and it smelled nice. She saw Piper outside the window wave to something and before she knew it, Cait was being loaded onto a cart that smelled like a brahmin farm. With the big leather coat on top of her, along with a few blankets the Minutemen brought with them, Cait felt warmer than she ever had before. MacCready and Dogmeat jumped into the cart as well.

"Get to Sanctuary as fast as you can. Give Garvey this message when you get there and tell him I'll be along in a few days. It's very important that she gets there and gets plenty of rest. Don't stop for anything unless it's absolutely important. Take the long route if you have to, but she needs to get to Sanctuary safe and sound. Take a day or two to rest when you get there and then head back to the Castle." Nora told one of the Minutemen. They all nodded as they loaded up the cart with supplies and started hitching up the brahmin.

"Are you sure you want me to take Dogmeat back to Sanctuary?" asked MacCready, trying to make himself comfortable.

"Yeah, he's very alert. He can help keep watch along the way." Nora said, giving Dogmeat a scratch on the head. "We'll meet you at Sanctuary. It's better if we split up. If you guys get stopped by a Brotherhood patrol, you shouldn't be hassled. Piper and I are going to swing by Diamond City before we head back to Sanctuary. Be careful."

MacCready nodded and the dispatch made its way along the road.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Piper asked, as she and Nora waved.

"I'm not sure." Nora said, frowning a bit. "The terminal said the detox was a success, but with Vault-Tec, there is always smoke and mirrors. When we're done in Diamond City, we'll head back home."

Piper only nodded and watched as the cart taking Cait left the area. Piper was eager to get back to Diamond City. She wanted to write up a new story and check on Nat, her little sister. Nat was usually alright by herself because Ellie from the Valentine Detective Agency would check on her.

Nora leaned against a tree, suddenly feeling dizzy. She shook the feeling away before Piper could ask if she was alright. Nora waved away Piper's concerns and went to sit down on one of the home's steps. Piper chalked it up to the last few exhausting hours. She crossed her arms, but couldn't help feel there was something different about Nora recently.

The wobbly cart made its way down the cracked road. Cait could see the sky. It was the clearest sky she had ever seen. Strange how the sky seemed like a deeper shade of blue. Almost Vault-Tec blue. She inhaled through her nose and couldn't believe how fresh everything seemed. Cait gave the sky a weak smile. She had never been happier to see the clouds, the sky, or even the sun shining down on her. To her, every sunny day was just a kick in the face and another day to slog through. But now, everything didn't seem so screwed up.

Cait looked over and saw MacCready sitting against a sack with unknown contents. His eyes were closed. She could hear him breathing slowly. He was asleep. Dogmeat whined and licked Cait's cheek. Cait let out a soft wheeze. "Oi, you damn molerat. No fair, I can't fight back." She wheezed. She laughed a little and let out a small cough. "You know, I don't think I'll mind bein' back in Sanctuary." She mused, still looking up at the sky. "I could use a holiday." Cait looked over at Dogmeat again, who only turned his head.

MacCready opened one eye and looked down at Cait. He chuckled softly. "How ya feelin', Angel?" he asked.

Cait coughed a little. "Like a brahmin cart ran me over, then backed up and ran me over again for good luck."

"Yeah, but at least it stopped to give you a ride." MacCready laughed. He saw a soft smile trace across Cait's face. "Your luck is starting to change. You've got people watching your back. Get some sleep. We'll be home before tomorrow morning." MacCready snuggled back on the sack and fell asleep again.

 _Home…_

That word rang in Cait's ears for a bit as she slowly started to nod off. Cait had never had a place to truly call home. Her parents never made her feel welcome, the raiders made her sleep anywhere there wasn't too much garbage on the floor, and she never felt safe sleeping at the Combat Zone even before the raiders took over. But thinking about Sanctuary and how clean and open it was gave Cait a nice little sensation in her chest. Maybe, once she got her strength back, she could help out a little around Sanctuary. Maybe write to Tommy Lonegan and tell him to come visit. Show that son-of-a-bitch just how well she did without him and his precious Combat Zone.

"We're goin' home, Dogmeat." Cait said, drifting off to sleep. "It feels nice to say it. We're…goin' home…"

* * *

 **Hi, hi, everyone! Do you get the reference in the title and opening line? Hahaha!**

 **I'll keep this brief because it's after midnight and I need to sleep soon.**

 **When I did that Kid in a Fridge quest, I honestly did not expect Billy's parents to be alive. When the door opened to the Peabody residence outside of Quincy, I was floored. Why they stick around when Quincy is infested with Gunners, I don't know. I wish there was a way to send them somewhere safer. At least to ease my own mind a little. I shouldn't be this emotionally attached to Ghouls, but you guys saw my Silver Lining fic. Heh heh, yeah.**

 **So, it's Cait's turn with the coat, huh? What kind of mischief can she get into?**

 **Cait is a strange character for me. On the alignment scale for RPGs, I can't seem to place her. She's got a lot of issues and it's tough to get close to her. We all have that one friend that you can't seem to find a place for among your small group of friends, but you still try to include them. You're fine if it's just you and that person, but in a group, it's hard. That person is Cait. She's hard to get close to and sometimes you want to give up. But when doing her companion quest, you find another side of Cait. She's not all bad. There is a soft side to her that wants to let you in, but she can't bring herself to open up to someone after everything she's been through. I totally get that. While her personality still makes you keep her at arm's length at times, you still find yourself caring about her and even laughing at her mean-spirited musings around the Commonwealth.**

 **I'm going to jump around in the next few chapters, give Nora, Piper, and MacCready a break. We'll check in with Haylen and Nick, as well as see how Danse is doing in a few chapters. We'll also have some light-hearted filler to whet the palate a bit. The smut returns in a few chapters, though *wink wink say no more*. Keep an eye on Nora. There will be a few developments with her in the future. What are they? I can't tell you now! Then there would be no point in writing this lovely story! All roads lead to Sanctuary in the upcoming chapters. I'll let you decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.**

 **The next chapter will be a small one, but I hope to give it a lot of life. Maxson is in a meeting with his officers, but his mind is elsewhere. Maybe it's time for Ingram and Kells to remind him of the reality of the situation at hand…**

 **So, how did I do? Let me know in a lovely review and keep this story going! And don't forget to follow me on Tumblr and deviantArt for updates to my fics, my other projects, and other random things I do in my spare time.**

 **You guys know the drill! Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	12. The Next Steps

_The Battle Coat_

The Next Steps

Elder Maxson's room was filling up fast. Space being limited as it was, His personal quarters also doubled as a meeting room, but it was starting to get cramped. Proctor Ingram had to stand, due to her power armor, but she stood as close as possible. Lancer-Captain Kells sat to the right of Elder Maxson, who sat at the head of the table. Proctor Quinlan sat to his left. Teagan, who whispered to Ingram that it was nice of "The Warden" to let him out for a walk, sat next to Quinlan. Ingram chuckled. Knight-Captain Cade sat next to Kells.

Dr. Madison Li sat at the end of the table, directly across from Maxson. Paladin Danse used to sit there, acting as mediator should the briefings turn heated (which was surprisingly often). But after being outed as a Synth, his seat stayed empty. Only recently had Dr. Li started sitting in on meetings. She had no real need to be here since Ingram was in charge of engineering and she usually never added anything important to the conversation. Most of the time, she just sat there quietly. When Elder Maxson asked why she was there when she showed up, Dr. Li said she wanted to see Maxson talk his way out of this. Maxson was about to throw her out when Ingram told him it's not worth getting mad over.

The weekly briefing of the commanding officers was not something Maxson looked forward too. Even before the entire Paladin Danse debacle, Maxson found the meetings to be a pointless waste of time. It was all the same thing, usually worded differently. He spent a lot of time reflecting on his decisions recently. It only strengthened his resolve to find Paladin Howard. He knew he couldn't make finding her a priority unless there was evidence that what she knew posed a threat. Apparently, the entire Commonwealth knowing he went commando under his uniform and that he snored wasn't enough evidence. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

The meeting started off slow. Repairs to the Prydwen, acquisition of new power armor scattered across the Commonwealth, and the latest news about a group known only as The Railroad.

"Who or what is the Railroad?" Knight-Captain Cade asked. "I've heard talk of them from returning foot patrols, but no one seems to have a straight answer when I ask."

"Some kind of group that claims to be helping Synths escape the Institute." said Ingram. "They're pretty low on the priority list, since all they seem to do is just cause trouble for us. But every time we set up patrols near what can be considered their 'hot spots', equipment always goes missing. Apparently, Cambridge is a hot spot because things have been turning up missing at the outpost. So far, I'd equate their tactics to that of teenagers playing pranks. I say keep it a low priority until they actually do some damage."

Kells, looking more like a still plank in a uniform, looked up at Ingram. "I still think we need to deal with them. Prankish teenagers or not, they still pose a threat. They are inadvertently helping the enemy. Where they think they are aiding, they are actually spreading discord among the people below and putting us at odds with them, as well. Synths can't be trusted, no matter how human they look. The Railroad themselves, even more so. They could steal something that could jeopardize our mission here in the Commonwealth."

"Everything regarding our mission is kept here on the Prydwen and down at the Airport proper, which is heavily guarded. Unless they infiltrate us directly, there is no way they'll find out anything." Ingram said, attempting to cross her arms. She realized the gesture was futile in her armor and stopped.

Quinlan sat back in his chair, unintentionally showing off to Ingram that he could cross his arms. "Maybe not put them on top of the list, but at least acknowledge the threat." He said. "I spent weeks deciphering important information and I've still got a lot work ahead of me. If the Railroad got ahold of the list of escaped or missing Synths, it could lead to disaster. What they lack in numbers and technology, they make up for in stealth and subterfuge. Weeks of work could go down the drain in less than a minute. We don't want them bolstering their ranks. We're still studying up on Synths and their abilities. For all we know, some might be capable of firing lasers from their eyes. Maybe not a direct attack, but it might call for an increase in security at least."

"We don't have the manpower to increase security any more than what we have." Kells said, with regret. "Elder Maxson doesn't want to start recruitment measures here in the Commonwealth until the Institute mission is completed."

Elder Maxson sat quiet. His arms were folded and he only looked at the papers in front of him. He hadn't actually read anything on them, though. I was strange for his officers to see him without the big jacket, but he figured they'd get used to it. He couldn't get used to it. He also couldn't get used to being without Paladin Danse being present during these meetings. Maxson wouldn't go so far as to say he missed Danse, but he did miss his advice. He was hoping to replace the spot Danse normally sat in with Paladin Howard. She was still officially AWOL and Dr. Li occupied that chair now. Dr. Li's presence was more to just fill the seat than to actually give Maxson guidance of any kind, in his opinion.

He knew what everyone really wanted to talk about. Maxson could see everyone tip-toeing around the topic during each of the weekly briefings. He appreciated it, but felt the choked back questions and remarks were being said behind his back. Maxson took a deep breath and tried to get his mind back on the issue at hand. It was hard, though. He had been hoping that one of the weekly briefings would be him announcing his engagement to Paladin Howard, but seeing as she left with his jacket, nothing official could be announced.

There was one thing Maxson was dreading, though: the monthly briefing to Lost Hills over the radio. He was going to omit Piper's story from the official report. But one wrong statement from one of the Proctors could spell disaster. He was going to keep them in the dark about this as much as possible. Maxson attempted to turn his attention back to the meeting.

"We already have something of an unofficial truce with the Minutemen at Fort Independence, or whatever they're calling it." Quinlan said. "Maybe we should set up some kind of agreement with them. Have them do all the leg work while we focus on the logistics."

Teagan growled. "That would involve talking to that crazy old woman, Ronnie Shaw. I got an ear full from her over the radio when trying to negotiate a trade deal."

Ingram chuckled. "I was there. You threw the ham radio out of your little cage and it landed in the Power Armor bay. Nearly winged one of my scribes. Elder Maxson has agreed that I'll be the liaison between us and the Minutemen from now on."

"Better you than me." Teagan said, slumping down in his chair. "If I had my choice of meat shields, I'd say let Ronnie Shaw lead the pack." Teagan let out a mean-spirited laugh, which stopped when Kells glared his way. Teagan mumbled something unintelligible and sat up straight.

Kells cleared his throat. "Tensions between the Brotherhood and the rest of the Commonwealth are already volatile enough without involving the local militia. Bringing the Minutemen into our campaign would be like giving a laser rifle to a child. They may be gaining in power but even at their best, they don't even start to eclipse us. No, our best bet would be to take this on ourselves. If they want to play army, let them do their patrols and defend the settlers. Less work for us to do. We'll handle the serious issues."

"I wouldn't call the Railroad a serious issue." Ingram said. "Our intelligence suggests that they aren't as manned as we want to think. But Quinlan is right about the stealth and subterfuge. I heard they have one agent that went into a Synth infested base and came out with barely a scratch. We don't want someone like that infiltrating our ranks."

"An attack from the inside?" Quinlan asked, though he didn't direct his question to anyone in particular. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "That's a real security risk."

"We keep a tight leash on our men, I don't want it to get tighter. Any Synth sympathizers are dealt with accordingly." Kells said, with a certain amount of pride.

"But they along with the Minutemen have one big thing the Brotherhood of Steel lacks: the support of the Commonwealth and its people." Dr. Li said, making her presence known. Everyone looked at her, having forgotten she was there. "The Brotherhood claims to be helping the Commonwealth, but what do your foot patrols do? They shake down farmers for a share in their crops, you tell them to be suspicious of everyone on the grounds of Synth infiltration, your patrols practically invade settlements looking for things to procure, and you confiscate any type of technology you come across no matter who it belongs to. Not to mention, the Elder isn't exactly a shining example to begin with."

Elder Maxson, who had been quiet, looked up when he heard this. "What are you implying, Dr. Li?" he asked, with a scowl.

"I'm not implying anything." She said with a snide smirk. "I'm just saying that you can't be the shining example when the entire Commonwealth knows about the Brotherhood's dirty laundry." She snickered a bit, which was odd as no one thought she was capable of actually laughing. "…or _lack_ of laundry, as it were."

Ingram decided to defuse this before Maxson could lunge across the table at Dr. Li. "Look, if we want to win the support of the people, we have to show them we're the best chance they have at fighting the Institute. We have the superior numbers and tech. We get things done. We can show them we mean business by activating Liberty Prime."

Elder Maxson shook his head at that suggestion. "No. Until we have a straight forward plan of attack, I don't want us wasting Prime's already limited energy on parading around the Commonwealth. Prime is already draining life from the Prydwen itself. Any more power boosts like that to power it up and the Prydwen will come crashing down. You said so yourself a few weeks ago; Prime needs to be completely independent of the Prydwen before we can fully activate him. Have you found a proper power source for him?""

Ingram looked at Dr. Li, who decided she wasn't going to say anything. Ingram nodded to Elder Maxson. "There was some pretty useful information on that Network Scanner. Quinlan recovered some intel on the Institute's own power struggles. It seems they're having problems keeping the lights on as well." Ingram let out a small chuckle. "Apparently, the Facilities Division, whatever the hell that is, had their tin men running recon on the Mass Fusion building downtown. It coincides with what Quinlan dug up about the place when we first got here."

"That really tall red building?" Teagan asked. "I sent a team to scavenge that building when we first arrived. They were run off by Gunners. Too many for a small scav team to take on alone. And that was just outside the building. Who knows how many more are nesting inside. They're like radroaches; kill one and two more pop up out of nowhere."

Elder Maxson nodded. "I don't want to waste time and manpower dealing with the Gunners right now. What did they find at Mass Fusion?"

Ingram looked at Dr. Li again, who decided to speak up. "It's not so much what they found, it's what they already knew. I remember the Facilities director, Dr. Filmore, going on about needing something from the outside. Not my area, mind you, but I can tell you what I know. Facilities is in charge of the general upkeep of the Institute. Their specialty is more behind the scenes. You know, keeping the lights on and so worth. Before I left, the Institute was trying to initiate something the Director only referred to as 'Phase Three'. Of course, it was on a need-to-know basis. Specifically, I apparently didn't need to know about it. The Institute is powered by its own personal reactor deep within its confines. But with this new line of Synths and to continued expansion, they have to draw power from the surface as well. In order for it to roll out 'Phase Three', they built an entirely new reactor to help with the facility's ever growing power needs. More powerful than anything the Institute, or the Brotherhood for that matter, has ever seen. It's not without its flaws, though. Powering a reactor that size will require something powerful to jumpstart it."

The room went silent for a minute or two. Elder Maxson looked around and then back to Dr. Li. "…and that would be…?"

Dr. Li knew she already said too much. But she wasn't going back to the Institute anytime soon, anyway. "Something from the Pre-War days called a Beryllium Agitator." She sighed, as if knowledge of such a thing was commonplace. "I'm not sure what it does. I only know about it because Dr. Filmore wouldn't shut up about it. 'Father won't assign coursers to help get the agitator' just over and over with that uptight whining."

"They call their leader 'Father'?" Ingram asked. "Sounds strange."

"Calling a man of twenty 'Elder' isn't?" Dr. Li retorted.

"Getting back on track…" Kells said, hoping to end this meeting soon. "If the Institute got their hands on this 'Beryllium Agitator', it could be disastrous."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that." Dr. Li said. "If Father hadn't approved of a Courser escort when I left, I doubt he would now. The fact that a Courser escort would be needed should tip you off on how difficult obtaining this component would be. It would take more than just kicking down a door and looting a cabinet to get such a component. I imagine the Pre-War scientists at Mass Fusion kept such a thing under more than just lock and key. Coursers aren't your run-of-the-mill Synths. Those foot soldiers you sometimes come across don't even begin to compare to the brutality of the Coursers. They are specifically trained for surface missions. They are precise in their dealings and rarely leave survivors behind. It goes without saying that they don't grow on trees. It takes time to find perfect candidates for Courser training. More are rejected than they are accepted."

Ingram thought about this. "So, in order to pump out the right men for the job, it could be a while before the Institute decides to make a move on the Mass Fusion building."

Quinlan made a soft humming sound. "Well, that gives us a little time to find out more about this 'Beryllium Agitator', though not much. I'll send a team to scour the buildings near Mass Fusion. Maybe one was an administrative office. Big companies of the time often had separate buildings for corporate dealings."

Ingram looked hopeful. "If this Agitator is powerful enough to start up a state-of-the-art reactor, than it should be more than enough to give Prime life."

Suddenly full of life, to extent he showed, Quinlan sat up straight. "I'll go through the information from the Institute and see if it says anything else about their new reactor. Maybe Ingram and Dr. Li can refit Prime to hold the agitator, freeing it from the Prydwen. Imagine, nearly endless power in Liberty Prime! And when Prime's job is done, maybe it can be duplicated to power the Prydwen."

That idea made Kells sit up straight. "We'll work on that. We need to find the damn thing first. Ingram, can you and Dr. Li refit Prime to handle the Agitator?"

"Once we find out what the hell it is and how it can be fitted, sure." Ingram said, with confidence.

Maxson nodded, feeling they had finally achieved something substantial. "Alright. Quinlan, see what else you can dig up about Mass Fusion and this 'beryllium agitator'. Give anything you find to Ingram's team so they can outfit Prime as soon as possible. Teagan, tell your scav teams to keep an eye out for rumors about the Gunners inhabiting downtown. I doubt the Gunners are at Mass Fusion for the agitator. I doubt they even know it exists or how to use it should they find it. Kells, can we spare a recon team to scout Mass Fusion in the meantime?"

Kells nodded. "If we keep a good enough distance from the Gunners, we can probably set up reconnaissance without them knowing."

"What about the medical stand point of this?" Cade asked, having sat silent for too long. "This thing has been sitting in a powerful reactor for over two hundred years. Unchecked, the radiation levels in the reactor alone could have reached critical by now. We're talking the Glowing Sea on a good day packed into a convenient box. Just being in the general area around this device could lead to catastrophic radiation poisoning. Our men won't even have time to turn into Ghouls if the radiation kills them instantly. Not to mention one false move from an uncoordinated soldier inside said reactor could be disastrous, too. Someone presses the wrong key on a terminal and we're looking at an explosion that could destroy downtown. I could go on all day."

"He's right." Ingram said, with some regret. "I didn't think about that. Even power armor has its limits when it comes to radiation. Ghoulification would be the least of our concerns if our skin is fusing with our armor."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Maxson said, standing up. "In the meantime, I want as much information dug up on Mass Fusion as possible. Blueprints, rumors, terminal entries, anything that could be of use, I want it found and in front of Quinlan the moment it's uncovered. Alright, you're all dismissed. Let's get things rolling. Find out what you can about Mass Fusion and this 'Beryllium Agitator'. Hopefully, we can have a definite plan before the monthly Elder's Council briefing."

Quinlan, Cade, and Teagan left without much persuasion. Maxson was about to reach into his personal liquor stash when he noticed Ingram, Kells, and Dr. Li still sitting at the table. When the door shut behind Teagan, Elder Maxson felt their unforgiving gaze on him. He wasn't sure how long it was before someone finally spoke up. Elder Maxson got a strange sense of déjà vu at that moment. Once again, he felt like a young soldier being scrutinized by his commanders.

"Elder Maxson, we didn't want to bring this up in front of the others, but I think it's time for a little dose of reality." Ingram said. She had no problem putting Maxson in his place, despite him being the Elder. She had done it many times over the years before he became Elder. He actually appreciated it. "We know you don't want to hear this, and you know we have a lot riding on this Commonwealth Campaign. But I think you should ease up on finding Paladin Howard."

Maxson just stood there. His face showed no emotion whatsoever.

Kells decided to give it a try. "While I agree that Paladin Howard roaming around with sensitive Brotherhood information is a security risk, we just don't have the resources to do an all-out search for her. We need every available man ready for an attack and we can't do that if your main order is 'Find Paladin Howard'. If she were going to give anything away, she'd have done that by now."

"Oh, she gave something away, alright." Dr. Li muttered, but sank in her chair when Kells have her a nasty look. She actually respected Kells. He was a realist and she felt that was lacking in the Brotherhood of Steel. Dr. Li cleared her throat. "Proctor Quinlan and his team scoured the article over and over. I'm sure once his team stopped giggling, they reported no security breach beyond knowing you don't wear-"

"-what we mean is…" Ingram said, trying not to laugh at Dr. Li's stab at Maxson. "…we need to find a way to play quick damage control. We're not commanding any respect in the Commonwealth when half of it is laughing at us."

Maxson snorted and sat back down. "Easy solution: we go into Diamond City, arrest Miss Wright and her smart mouthed little sister, burn her house to the ground, and have her printing press scrapped for parts."

"While I'm always on the lookout for spare parts, we need to be serious about this." Ingram said. "Confiscating newspapers from a little girl isn't going to make this instantly go away. Your authority is, unfortunately, not recognized in Diamond City. From what I hear their mayor doesn't like Miss Wright but he's not exactly a member of our fan club, either. If we take more than just the papers, we could make ourselves look worse. We're not sure how far this story has gone. Rumors tend to travel faster than caravans, hell this could be all the way in the Mojave by now! If the Elder's Council found out about your…" Ingram tried to find the right words. "…your aggressive fraternization with Paladin Howard, we'll never hear the end of it. They could call off the entire Commonwealth Campaign and that's something we can't afford."

"It's not their call to make, fortunately." Kells said.

"What Ingram means is they could cut off all support." Dr. Li said, leaning against her elbows on the table. "From what you've told me, you've only recently reestablished good terms with the main chapters out on the west coast. The East Coast Chapter is already working with the bare minimum the Brotherhood of Steel as a whole can offer being this far away. Anything less than that and we might as well be using sticks and rocks. If they were to get wind of this, Maxson can kiss any more support for this wild goose chase you call a campaign good-bye."

The Elder's Council had a very narrow viewpoint when it came to love and marriage. They had made it clear as polished glass that they wanted Maxson to choose a wife soon. They gave their reasons why, but it mostly boiled down to keeping the Maxson line going. If they found out he had "fraternized" with Paladin Howard, they'd insist he find her and marry her to save the Brotherhood from further embarrassment. Of course, at this point saving the Brotherhood from embarrassment was impossible.

"I have to find her." Maxson whispered, not looking at any of them. "Please, just understand, I have to find her."

Ingram looked at Kells and then at Dr. Li. Ingram had no idea how to word this. "I know it hurts to hear this, but you might have to face the fact that she might not be coming back. You put her in a position-" Ingram cleared her throat, trying not to laugh at her own unintentional stab at Maxson. "-that no one came out as winner. We lost two good soldiers that night, one just stayed around long enough to make up her mind. Losing Paladin Danse was probably just as bad as losing her husband. She's a stranger in this world, Arthur. You can't expect her to accept things as they are."

Maxson liked it when Ingram called him by his first name. It was oddly comforting and humbling. "I know I made a mistake expecting her to be okay with how fast things were going. But she isn't safe out there."

"Safe?" Kells asked. "She's shown time and time again that she's more than capable of self-preservation. If anything, she has an advantage over us. She probably knows the Commonwealth better than anyone in our ranks, including Brandis."

Maxson shook his head. "Paladin Howard is more than just a security risk. She is walking around with a target on her back. She knows all about our plans, she could be captured by the Institute or the Railroad and then we'll be in deeper than we are now. I can't give up on finding her. Please, just understand this."

Dr. Li raised her eyebrows. "I've been where you are, Arthur." She said, sadly. Her eyes looked like they were gazing at a different time and place. Dr. Li rarely showed emotion like this unless it was mixed with a little cynicism. This looked like pure, unfiltered heartache. She clenched her fists, holding back the anger and sadness she buried away years ago. "Being in love with someone you can't have. Don't let it distract you from what's important. It will eat away at you and cost you greatly." Dr. Li stood up, nodded to Ingram and Kells, and left the room.

Ingram knew this wasn't working. She let out a long breath. "We don't have the resources for an all-out manhunt and we can't afford to lose any trading deals with the Minutemen because we keep harassing them for Paladin Howard's location. All we can do is tell the scouts to keep an eye and ear out for her. I know you want to send out a squad specifically to look for her, but we can't free up any soldiers for that. Maybe she'll come around and return. Maybe she'll keep wandering and we'll never see her again. I won't give you any false hope because I respect you too much. All you can do is wait."

Ingram and Kells left the room, closing the door behind them. Kells walked in front of Ingram with his arms behind his back. "I had hoped that would have been easier. Not the best outcome." He said.

"Definitely not." Ingram said. "I get it, he's in love. But seeing him like this is killing morale. It's hard to get people pumped for the next leg of our campaign when their leader is moping around like a heartbroken teenager. You can't make sound decisions when thinking with your…well, you know."

Kells nodded, appreciating her grace with the situation. "He made a fair point about Paladin Howard being a security risk, though. She may have just gotten her Paladin rank, but she was still close to Danse and was part in some very sensitive missions. I suggested to Maxson that we take her off duty and put her on watch to be safe, but he insisted she report back immediately after the Danse incident. But we can't negate our mission to look for a wayward soldier. Unless she actually has the Beryllium Agitator we need on her, finding her is low priority."

"We wouldn't be that lucky." Ingram said, leaving Kells to return to her post.

No one noticed Dr. Li standing by the ladder to the flight deck. Her cheeks were still moist from losing her cool. She buried that memory away while trying to focus on what was happening now. "Damnit James, I never did get that beer you owed me." She grumbled. Dr. Li decided to clear her thoughts with a trip to the mess hall. A snack would get her mind off things. Dr. Li straightened herself out and walked down the corridor. It felt longer than it usually was. No one really talked to Dr. Li outside of the officers. They didn't trust her completely. She knew she'd be left alone.

"Ahh, Dr. Li!" she heard Quinlan say from his office/quarters. "I was hoping to catch you before you went back down to the airport. Could you do me a quick favor?"

Dr. Li liked Quinlan to the extent she liked most people on the Prydwen (not very much). She talked with him a lot after she arrived from the Institute. She found his constant stream of questions annoying and now avoided him unless work needed to be done. With Dr. Li's help, Quinlan was able to confirm the information gathered from the Network Scanner. "What is it you need, Proctor Quinlan?" she asked, trying not to sound annoyed.

"I would have done this earlier, but Ingram left before I could." Proctor Quinlan reached into a pocket and pulled out a small sack. "Could you give this to her when you return to the airport? I owe her some caps and I haven't had a chance to give them to her."

Dr. Li let out a small chuckle and took the small bag. She knew what this was. "I'd be delighted to." She said, putting the bag in her pocket. "You don't strike me as a gambling man, Quinlan."

"I've never lost a mess hall poker game, but I swear those scribes down at the airport rig the betting pool." Quinlan said, somewhat indignant. "I'm sure Ingram has something to do with it. I'd take it to the Elder, but he's against gambling. Also, most of the bets are about him. Mostly against, as well."

"Does Maxson know about that?" Dr. Li asked.

Quinlan gave a soft shrug. "Well, seeing as Ingram will soon have enough caps to retire early, he knows about at least one."

Dr. Li nodded and left Quinlan's quarters. She could smell some kind of stew being made in the mess hall and it was calling to her. The weather had finally gotten cold enough that complaining about working outside was acceptable. She could hear the satisfied moans of soldiers eating the warm food and it made her stomach rumble. One thing she did miss about the Institute was having food whenever she wanted. Granted, they were strangely colored food supplements.

As she sat down at a back table alone, Dr. Li started to reflect. When no one was looking, Dr. Li reached into her pocket and pulled out an old, folded photograph. Over twenty years ago, someone got an old camera to work and took a picture of Dr. Li and her team while working on what was called "Project Purity" in the Capitol Wasteland. Dr. Li sighed longingly. She wasn't a sentimental person, but when it came to thinking about her time with James and her old team, she made an exception. When she found the Institute years ago, they made her give up everything from the surface world. She hid this picture when they searched her belongings and sent her through the decontamination process. She was thankful the photo wasn't ruined.

Dr. Li could sympathize with Maxson on wanting something he couldn't have. That was the only thing she sympathized with him, though. She could see the path he was taking would lead to disaster, and not just for himself. She hoped, for his own sake, that Maxson would give up and go back to business. She had very little faith in this hope.

Matter of war and matters of the heart should never intertwine. That was a belief Dr. Madison Li staunchly held. She could see this ending poorly. She could see Maxson tearing the Commonwealth apart looking for this woman.

 _Who knew little Arthur would grow into such an irresponsible man?_ She thought. _The folly of idol worship. Maybe if they stopped seeing him as divine incarnate and start seeing him as a human being that makes mistakes, the Brotherhood of Steel wouldn't be at such loose ends. I wonder what Sentinel Lyons would say if she could see him now…_

* * *

 **Hi hi, all!**

 **Yes, what** _ **would**_ **Sarah say if she could see Arthur now? A thought for another day. I do plan on a chapter where Dr. Li confronts Maxson and tells him everything everyone else is afraid to tell him, but that's a little ways down the line.**

 **So, you got a little more insight to how the officer's view Maxson's little obsession, and the gambling ring going on at the airport. I figure, despite the tight ship Maxson runs, he doesn't interact with the things going on at the airport proper personally. I imagine he leaves all that to Ingram, Gavil, and whoever else runs things down there. To stay off boredom, I imagine the airport scribes have a little gambling ring going on. Some in the Prydwen are involved, but it's obviously rigged for the house.**

 **It's summer, so my schedule might be a little weird. I'm going to try and get as many chapters out to you guys as possible since I assume most of you are off for the summer. I'd like to give you guys something to read while you're soaking up rays at the beach or avoiding social interaction at cook-outs.**

 **I love summer! The traveling, the beach, Steam sales! I saved up my Steam gift card bounty from Christmas just for the summer sale (not entirely true, I bought Night in the Woods a little while ago, but I'm not going to get into that).**

 **I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Mine could have been better, but I won't bum you guys out with my problems. All that matters is you guys enjoy the summer and stay tuned for more craziness!**

 **Next Chapter: Things are turning up missing around the Prydwen. And have you noticed how strangely Scribe Haylen has been acting lately…?**

 **How did I do? Let me know in a quick review before you're forced into another summer gathering we both know you don't actually want to attend. Don't worry, I'll be busy here so you have an excuse to stare at your phone (or laptop or whatever) this summer!**

 **Don't forget to follow my on Tumblr or dA for updates to my stories and other silliness! Check my profile for links!**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	13. Something's Missing

_The Battle Coat_

Something's Missing

"Damnit! Has anyone seen my Network Scanner?" Ingram shouted, going through a small box near the console.

Proctor Ingram's day started out bad, and now it was about to get worse. Ingram woke up to sheets of rain plowing the tarmac, the left knee joint of her armor was stuck, taking her a half-hour to actually get started that morning, and now something important has gone missing. Her copy of the Institute Network Scanner was gone. Only she and Proctor Quinlan had them. Hers was a copy while his was the original. Ingram never really used her copy, but when she did, it proved quite helpful in giving assignments to away teams.

Dr. Madison Li looked up from whatever was on her clipboard and watched Ingram lumber around the platform. "I'd say it's probably in your other pants, but you're probably not in the mood for jokes." Dr. Li said, though her statement didn't sound joking. She rarely joked. Other than the snide cynicism, Dr. Li barely had a sense of humor at all.

Ingram said nothing and turned over a box to empty its contents. "I just had that stupid thing this morning!"

"Did you put it down somewhere?" Dr. Li asked, writing some readings from the console down.

Ingram groaned. "Ever since Maxson brought in the scribes from the outpost, it seems like everything is going missing!"

"Well, that's not entirely fair to assume the Outpost scribes are misplacing things." Dr. Li said.

"I've told them a million times that if I didn't tell them to pick it up, then that means don't touch it!" Ingram growled, making the scribes nearby fast-walk away, pretending to be preoccupied. "Why does it feel like I'm talking to children? I used it earlier and I set it down on the console where I always put it. Now, it's gone."

"I doubt it grew legs and walked away." Dr. Li said, putting her clipboard down.

"If it did, we'd have bigger issues with the Institute than just Synths." Ingram sighed again and looked around at the Scribes roaming around the tarmac doing their assignments.

Dr. Li remembered something just then. "There was a Scribe up here earlier. What's her name? Oh right, Haylen. She said she needed something over in that general direction and went back to the garage. Maybe she knows what happened to it."

"What did she need?" Ingram asked, positioning herself to look at Dr. Li.

"I wasn't paying attention, I was writing down readings from Prime's systems." Dr. Li said. "I told her to be careful around the instruments and went back to what I was doing."

Ingram left Dr. Li and made her way to the big garage that used to house what was left of Liberty Prime. Now a regular workshop, most of the scribes could be found in here most of the time. Most of the scribes in this little garage wore standard scribe outfits. Not Scribe Haylen. She stuck out like a sore thumb, constantly wearing her field gear as if she was waiting to be put back out there.

"Haylen!" Ingram shouted, her armored body stomping toward the elevated platform.

Scribe Haylen stood straight up and looked at the lumbering woman in body armor coming her way. Scribe Haylen swallowed and tried her best not to look terrified. "Yes, Proctor?"

"You were at my platform earlier and something's gone missing." Ingram shouted over the whine of power tools and equipment. "Why were you over there?"

Haylen blinked a few times and waited for the sounds of the equipment to die down to answer. "Some of my tools have gone missing and I was hoping someone borrowed them and misplaced them, ma'am."

Ingram sighed and looked around. She couldn't ignore how odd this was anymore. Tools disappearing was one thing, but important equipment and now her network scanner were gone, too. "Yeah, things have been turning up missing. I'm starting to think that Initiate from requisitions is innocent. But it's not food that's turning up missing, it's equipment and documents." She groaned loudly. "I really don't want to go to Maxson about all this."

Scribe Haylen looked like she was about to panic. "Why would you have to go to Elder Maxson about this? It's just tools. I'm sure they'll turn up."

"It's not just tools, Scribe. Important stuff is disappearing too." Ingram lumbered over to a workbench and shuffled through the objects on top. "You didn't happen to see a holotape on top of my console while you were looking for your tools, did you?"

Haylen shook her head. "I don't think so. I was only over there for a minute, but I didn't see a holotape."

Ingram looked at Scribe Haylen incredulously. "Empty out your pockets, Scribe." Ingram ordered.

"M-Ma'am?!" Scribe Haylen nearly shouted.

"Empty out your pockets." Ingram repeated, slowly.

Scribe Haylen blushed a bit and started emptying her vest pockets. A few stray caps, some loose ammo, a pack of gum, and other miscellaneous items came from Haylen's pockets and were now sitting on a table in front of them. Ingram sighed. "Sorry I doubted you, Scribe." Ingram said, wishing she could pat Haylen on the shoulder without hurting her. "But things turning up missing is a big security risk. I really hope scavengers didn't find a way into the airport again."

Last time things turned up missing, scavengers had snuck into the airport at night and made off with some odds and ends. Mostly scrap and med supplies, but nothing that would be missed. A time before that, food was disappearing from requisitions. An Initiate was said to be the culprit of that and may have left an opening for scavengers to get in. Ingram was starting to get impatient.

"Maybe we're thinking too much about this." Scribe Haylen said, putting her belongings back in her pockets. "I mean, why bother the Elder about missing tools? He's already got enough on his plate without us bothering him every time a screwdriver goes missing. I'm sure all these missing things are around here somewhere."

Ingram sighed and looked around. "Well, everything that's gone missing better turn up soon, or I'm tearing this airport apart top to bottom. I haven't looked in the old air traffic tower, yet."

Scribe Haylen started to panic. "You can't go up there!"

Ingram looked surprised. "And why the hell not, Scribe?" she asked, glaring down at the scared scribe.

Haylen bit her lip and tried not to look anxious. "The elevator door isn't working, we all already tried. It's been like that for a while, the circuits are fried, and we don't have the right components to fix it. That's why no one is using it. Besides, who knows what's up there. There could be more Ghouls."

Ingram nodded. "Strange, it was working a while ago. We were using it for storage. Well, I'll have to see if the scav teams brought back anything useful to fix it. It might just need rewiring…" Ingram walked off, murmuring to herself.

Haylen knew her time was short. If Ingram found out the truth, her little investigation would be done for. She gathered up her things and went to work on her newest project.

Making her way back to the tarmac, Ingram couldn't help but notice how strange her encounter with Haylen had been. Haylen was usually more calm and collected, but today it was like the very sight of Ingram made her nervous. Ingram knew it was a terrible idea to bring Scribes from field patrol to the airport. Once the latest updates to Prime were done, Ingram was planning to send the field scribes back to the Outpost and out of her hair. Maybe then things would stop turning up missing.

"Find your missing holotape?" Dr. Li asked when Ingram returned. She looked like she hadn't moved since Ingram left.

"No. Hey, did you notice anything odd about Scribe Haylen when she was up here?" Ingram asked.

Dr. Li shook her head. "I was too busy with these reports to notice. She just looked like she was looking for something."

"That seems to be a common trend lately." Ingram sighed.

"Maybe there is something useful in the traffic tower." Dr. Li said, putting her clipboard down. "I know some of your scribes use it for storage. At least, that's what they said they use it for. Could be a late night romantic liaison point for all I know."

"Haylen said the elevator is on the fritz. I'll have to go up to the ship and ask Teagan if he could spare some tools." Ingram sighed, looking up at the Prydwen.

"It must be a recent thing, because I saw one of the Scribes using the elevator just last night before lights out." Dr. Li said, finally looking at Ingram. "I'm not sure which scribe, but I saw one going up to the air traffic tower using the elevator. Granted, this was late at night. I figured it would have been fixed by now, seeing as you use it for storage."

Ingram gave Dr. Li a puzzled look. Scribe Haylen wasn't known to be a liar. Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe it broke down a few days ago and no one told her it had been repaired yet. Ingram didn't want to assume the worst just yet. He refused to believe Scribe Haylen was up to no good in the air traffic tower. Yes, Haylen must have been mistaken. She wasn't a liar. She must have tried to store something up in the air traffic tower and the elevator wasn't working. They must have repaired it and not told anyone. Ingram was strict about things working, so she assumed it was fixed without her being told it was broken. Then again, maybe it was never broken in the first place. The elevator was Pre-War, maybe it got stuck or shorted out for a bit when Haylen tried to use it.

Before Ingram could do anything, Dr. Li handed her a large tool. "Since you're here, you can give me a hand." Dr. Li rattled off things that needed to be done around the command console, but Ingram wasn't paying attention. She kept thinking about the elevator and what Scribe Haylen had said.

When the night came and everyone was dismissed for the day, Haylen stayed behind. Ingram noticed this when she was leaving the workshop. Haylen often stayed behind and eventually met up with everyone later in the barracks (the parking garage nearby had been repurposed for barracks). While the other scribes were talking about a beer they were saving and finally being able to take off their boots after being on their feet all day, Scribe Haylen sat at her bench, tinkering away at something.

"You're dismissed, Haylen." Ingram said, unintentionally surprising Haylen.

Haylen took a deep breath and went back to her object. "I'll be done soon, Proctor. I just want to get this done."

"It can wait, Haylen. I'm locking up the garage for the night as soon as Dr. Li comes back." Ingram said, looking around. "I want to see if locking up will keep things from going missing. So, get a move on. I'm locking up whether you're in this garage or not."

"I-I promise, only a few more minutes, then I'll be done." Haylen panicked, trying to put everything in its place.

"Scribe, is there something going on?" Ingram asked. "You've been acting strangely lately, and everyone has noticed."

Haylen sighed and turned around to face Ingram. She had a look on her face like she had been caught with a secret. Then, the look sank into one of mourning and despair. "Proctor, ever since the Danse incident, everyone has been asking me what I know. I was close to Danse and Paladin Howard, but people ask me about what happened as if I was there watching. I thought if I avoided everyone and focused on my work, they'd leave me alone. But it just made things worse. Everyone thinks I'm hiding something because I was so close to Danse and because I dropped Paladin Howard off after…well, you know. But I swear, she never told me what happened or where she was going!"

Ingram wished she could hug Haylen without snapping her spine. Ingram silently cursed her power armor rig. "I know it was hard to lose Paladin Danse. He was an inspiration to us all, and I'm sure he was like an older brother to you. I know you had nothing to do with the Paladin Howard incident, as well. You told the Elder what you knew, and you can't do much else than that. If anyone gives you grief about Danse or Paladin Howard, or anything else, you come to me. Alright? Now, whatever it is you're working on, hurry up and finish. Dr. Li will be back in a few minutes and I doubt you want to spend the night inside this garage."

"Yes, ma'am." Haylen said, sounding cheerful. "I'm just about done."

"Oh, and before I forget, you and the other scribes will probably spend most of tomorrow on the tarmac with Dr. Li. I'm having the elevator looked at to see what's going on with it." Ingram said. She started leaving just as Haylen went pale. "Pre-war junk always shorting out…"

Haylen watched Ingram leave from the corner of her eye. When she heard the angry mumbling and the lumbering suit finally leave the garage and meander into the distance, Haylen shot up from her seat. She dimmed the light on the lantern she was using and made her way out of the garage. She pressed herself against the wall and watched the doorway. She had practically memorized the patrol patterns now and knew the best ways to avoid them. She watched from across the hall as Gavin and his team locked up the supply depot and left. When the coast was clear, Haylen ran to the air traffic elevator.

"Come on, come on…" Haylen whispered. She looked like she was waiting for an outhouse to become free the way she panicked. She hoped the elevator dinging wouldn't attract attention. She rushed into the elevator and waited impatiently for it to go up. When it finally opened to the abandoned tower, Haylen found a loaded gun in her face.

"Geez, Haylen, we have a codeword for a reason!" said the Synth in the trench coat standing in front of her. "I nearly blew your nose clean off. What's going on? We weren't supposed to meet until later."

The Synth standing in front of Haylen was something of a private detective named Nick Valentine. Haylen looked panicked. "Change of plans. They know about the tools we've been filching and they didn't believe me when I told them the elevator was down and now they're calling my bluff. They are going to send a team to work on it and…"

Nick put up his wiry hand to silence her. "…they'll find our little hideout." Nick looked around at the room. What was once an air traffic tower was now a make-shift office for investigation into Haylen's claims. A computer terminal had been repaired and was now working, a ham radio had been set up, and spare equipment was strewn about the room. "Alright, let's move our base of operations, then. It'll have to be close by. You think you could give me an escort to the Castle? They know me there."

Haylen helped Nick pack up some of the equipment and tools they had been using. "I can take you around the back and you can take the back roads. I can't leave the airport without them being suspicious. I found out earlier that Ingram set up trading agreements with the Minutemen. She sends someone about once a week to do some trading around the Castle. I'm going to volunteer for Castle trading runs that way we can keep in touch."

As they packed up the equipment, Nick decided to give Haylen a rundown of what he found out. "It's not much to go on, but I think your claim has some merit." Nick started, putting the ham radio into a bag. "I found a frequency Maxson is using for something off the books."

Haylen didn't look surprised. "I heard Knight-Captain Kells tell Ingram that we can't spare the manpower for a special squad to look for Paladin Howard like Elder Maxson wants. Maxson probably outsourced to the locals. Locals are easier to bargain with because they either want food or chems instead of caps. The Brotherhood has informants all over the Commonwealth, but they aren't the type to actively look for someone. We're mostly just paying for hearsay."

An odd sensation went through Nick's systems. "I couldn't make heads or tails of what Maxson was telling these people over the frequency. He must be using a jamming tool to keep anyone else from hearing it. For his sake and Nora's, I hope he's not contracting out to the Gunners."

That thought hadn't even crossed Haylen's mind, but then she shook it away. "I doubt he's that desperate. Gunners are basically raiders with better organization skills."

"Same could be said about the Brotherhood, but I'd rather not get into that argument with you again. The Gunners will take any job if it pays the right amount." Nick said. He sounded like he had dealt with these jokers before. "You think Maxson is dumb enough to take out a contract with them?"

Haylen didn't know how to respond. She thought about this as they got into the elevator. Maxson, outwardly, denounced the Gunners as little more than thugs playing soldier. Of course, most people called the Brotherhood nothing but glorified boy scouts. She wasn't sure what boy scouts were. She had seen a few Pre-War posters advising boys to join scouts, but she wasn't sure what it was for.

The elevator ride should have taken less than a minute, but with the urgency of the situation, it felt like an hour. Haylen noticed Nick staring at her with his yellow eyes. "Is everything alright, Nick?" she asked. She held a pack close to her chest, which made Nick think of something else. A flash before his eyes made him see a similar looking girl with books clutched tightly while waiting on a busy curb in the city. Nick shook the thought away. They didn't have time for this.

"I think she worked at the library." Nick muttered as the elevator dinged and opened to the ground floor. Luckily, no patrols were going by. Haylen doublechecked and then signaled for Nick to follow her out through the back way.

Through some broken airplane pieces and toward the cracked road, Haylen and Nick dodged the patrols. Haylen was panting. They had to run when they heard a power armored guard lumber toward them in the darkness. "Keep going south and you should reach the Castle." Haylen said, relinquishing her bundle to Nick. "Go through the nearby neighborhoods so you don't get spotted by any returning patrols. They tend to stir clear of the neighborhoods. Watch for raiders, though."

Nick kept looking at Haylen. He blinked a few times and made a sighing sound and motion. "You be careful, kid." Nick said. "I'll be in touch." Before Haylen could say anything, Nick started running off. She made sure he disappeared into the crumbled suburbia before making her way back to the airport. Nick was a Synth, and they were known for their odd behavior. Or maybe that was the propaganda talking. Most of the time, Nick stayed professional. But sometimes, as they worked together, Haylen noticed Nick staring at her.

Haylen thought about this all through the night and the next day as she watched the work team check the elevator, tell Ingram it was fine and probably just shorted out when Haylen tried to use it, and confirm that there was nothing in the tower but old boxes. Haylen tried not to laugh when Ingram lumbered away cursing that she didn't want to write up the missing items report. It was then Haylen remembered that she forgot to give something very important to Nick and that it'd be a week before she could.

"Hey, Haylen, how would you like to get some exercise and help out our dwindling supplies?" Ingram asked. Haylen looked up from her thoughts. "I need someone to head to the Castle about once a week and pick up some supplies. Standard pick up and drop off procedure, but no one likes dealing with the acting commander. Since you're used to field work, I figure you'd appreciate being away from all this chaos."

Haylen nodded. She was just about to ask Ingram if she could be the supply procurement specialist for that particular assignment. "I can do it." Haylen said, her thoughts still elsewhere.

Ingram only nodded. "I know things are a little more structured here than at the Outpost, and I know people are still hounding you for information about the Danse and Paladin Howard debacle. I figure you could use a break from all that. Consider it field work, since it technically is. I'll send you in a few days with the list of requests. And I'll tell Ronnie that you're on your way so they don't open fire. She'll let you spend the night in a guest cot, which I'm assuming is actually a dirty mattress on a cold stone floor, and you'll be on your way afterward. Standard procedure."

Haylen stood up and left the work area. Dr. Li, who had a tendency to blend in and go about unnoticed, stood beside Ingram and cleared her throat to make her presence known. "She's hiding something." Dr. Li said, holding her clipboard close. "She knows something and she's quite aware her knowledge is both valuable and dangerous."

Ingram sighed. "I know. The part that sucks the most is that I can't prove it. Haylen is usually quite talkative, but since the whole Danse debacle, she's been quiet as a mouse. I figured her odd behavior was because she was still coming to terms with everything that happened. But my gut tells me she's behind our missing tools and equipment."

"What about your copy of the Institute information?" Dr. Li asked.

Ingram's shoulders made a shrugging motion. "Tools and equipment can be replaced. Whatever she's up to, I take solace in knowing that she's not crazy enough to steal something that important."

Dr. Li shook her head and looked up at Ingram. She gave Ingram a pitying look, as if she couldn't believe someone could be so naïve. "Proctor Ingram, it's been my experience that the quiet ones always end up making the most noise." With that, Dr. Li went back to whatever she was doing.

When she was sure she was alone, Haylen took off her hat and hood. Taped to the top of her hat was a holotape. She meant to give it to Nick, but it slipped her mind as she was helping him move their base of operations. It'll be a week before she could go to the Castle and give it to him. It had to stay on her person at all times.

Haylen carefully put her hat back on and went back to her duties.

* * *

"Nick Valentine, you ol' bucket of bolts!" Ronnie Shaw shouted as Nick walked through the entrance of the Castle. It was probably about four in the morning when Nick arrived. One of the late night lookouts had announced someone walking up the path from the city. The coat and the fedora gave him away. Nick was hoping to arrive without fanfare, but he was pretty well liked around the Castle and the Minutemen as a whole. He figured Ronnie Shaw usually got up to begin her duties. She looked at him, carrying probably half his weight in gear. "Lookin' to set up camp here for a bit?"

"I wouldn't normally intrude, Ronnie, but I got a chase involving your neighbors and they almost caught me snooping around." Nick said, readjusting the box under his arm. "I need a new base of operations that's close by but not close enough to where they'll suspect a Synth is keeping tabs on them."

"Someone hired you to look into the Brotherhood?" Ronnie asked, walking with Nick to the radio tower. The nighttime radio operator let out a yawn and he seemed to be looking forward to the shift change coming up in a few hours. "I can tell you what I know. I usually speak with them at least once a week for trade."

Nick smiled. "Anything would be helpful, but I'm working a different angle than just basic information gathering. My client thinks there is something going on and it involves former Paladin Danse and your general."

"Valentine, you read the article too, I 'spect." Ronnie said, crossing her arms. "You know as well as I do that somethin is going on."

"My client, who will remain nameless until an appropriate time, thinks it's goes further than that. She's thinking a set-up job." Nick put down his box and leaned against a nearby pole.

"I wish things were that exciting here." Ronnie chuckled. "Well, I have to do my rounds before the recruits wake up. They've got training in the city today so I'm going to let them sleep a little while longer. Our new lieutenant is working them like dogs, but it's paying off."

Nick didn't get a chance to ask who the new lieutenant was. He remembered Ellie telling him what some passing Minutemen in the city told her, but he had to confirm it himself. Danse, looking shorter without his power armor, stalked over to the radio tower. His new style, which consisted of a typical patched up blue jacket and trousers, looked like it helped him blend in.

"Well, well, it seems Ellie was right again." Nick said. "Paladin Danse. Or is it just Danse now?"

Ronnie looked at Nick, then to Danse. "You two know each other?" she asked.

"We're…acquainted, I suppose." Nick said.

Danse glared at Nick and then turned his attention to Ronnie. "What is he doing here?" Danse growled.

"Valentine's welcome here, as are all Synths that want to help the cause. You know we don't discriminate here, Lieutenant. Nick is working on a case nearby and needs a base of operations." Ronnie said, holding her laser musket up.

Danse swung his head back to Nick. "Then go back to Diamond City, you filthy-" Danse couldn't finish his sentence. Ronnie's musket was pointed at his face.

"Lieutenant Danse, we are the Minutemen. We are keepers of the peace and we help those in need. We fight the good fight here. We are sworn to help the citizens of the Commonwealth, be they human or Synth or Ghoul or friendly mutant. Granted that last one is pretty rare, but you get my point. Like you, Nick is a friend of the General and he's always welcome here so long as he keeps the peace. But you lay one unprovoked hand on Nick Valentine and I'll cut you down myself. Remember, I'm commanding officer when the General is away and what I say goes." Ronnie kept her musket on Danse. She was much shorter than Danse and older, but she was a great shot and Danse knew she wouldn't miss if she fired.

Nick smirked. "Need I remind you, _'Lieutenant'_ , that you and I fall under the same category now?"

Danse growled and decided to ignore Nick. "Ronnie, wake up the recruits. It's time for training." With that, Danse made his way back to his barrack.

Ronnie sighed and put her gun down. "Sorry about that. Old habits die hard, you know? I think he's still coming to terms with being out of the Brotherhood loop."

Nick nodded. "Well, I think as long as we stay out of each other's way, there won't be any problems. One day, he'll stop treating me like a threat and start treating me like furniture. And that will be an improvement."

Ronnie laughed and directed Nick to the other bastion. "You can set up shop in the General's quarters. I'm sure she won't care. It might be tough getting a signal on the ham radio through the stone walls, but you should at least get something. I'll have one of the recruits help you hook up a power cord to the generator for your terminal. Oh, and it probably goes without saying, but you should probably steer clear of the courtyard on the day the Brotherhood sends someone to do a trading run."

Nick nodded and let Ronnie get back to her rounds. He started setting up his workstation in the General's room but felt a twinge of uncertainty. He had more he wanted to say to Haylen about the case, but he needed to be sure before he told her. But with Danse prowling around, it might be hard to get Haylen alone when or if she came for trading. Nick sat in a chair and stared at the wall while waiting for the recruit to help him set up. The flashes of memories from Old Nick's life were getting more frequent. He couldn't let it distract him, but there was something about Haylen that nagged at him relentlessly.

"Jenny…" Nick murmured, plugging in a cord to the back of the terminal. He felt his mind go fuzzy as he began to think.

" _Detective Valentine!" said the girl behind the desk at the library. "Are you here to see Jennifer?"_

 _Detective Valentine nodded. "Yeah, I promised I'd take her to lunch today and she's holding me to it." The detective fixed his hat in the reflection of a nearby display case. He was starting to feel his age, but Jenny often told him that he looked quite distinguished for a man in his mid-30's. Jenny was probably in her mid to late twenties, though Valentine knew it was impolite to ask a lady for her age._

 _He remembered meeting Jenny just outside the library his first day in Boston. He'd gotten lost and she helped him find the right station. After that, he kept looking for an excuse to head to the library._

" _Jennifer should be about done with her shift." The front desk girl went back to whatever work she was pretending to do when Nick walked in just as Jenny approached._

" _You're on time!" Jenny joked. "I wasn't actually expecting that."_

 _Nick chuckled and took off his hat. His dark brown hair was thick but starting to turn gray. "I was able to sneak away today."_

 _Jenny punched the time clock on the desk and waved to her friend at the front desk. When she took his arm, Nick felt himself melt. He often wondered if their relationship was going too fast. He had only been in Boston for about half a year and it seemed his relationship with Jenny was moving faster than the case he had been called in to work on._

 _Nick looked down at Jenny as they left the library and walked along the sidewalk. Her auburn hair wasn't in any particular style when she was at work. She wore a pink hairband today that matched her shirt and her curly hair was relaxed. She must not have had time to put her hair in curlers the night before. Her hair wasn't naturally curly and if she didn't put curlers in her hair, the curls would relax after a few days. He told her the other night that he liked her hair with a little bounce, but he wished she would put the curlers in so tight._

" _There is a diner nearby that I like going to, if you don't mind the walk." Jenny said, squeezing Nick's arm tighter._

 _Nick smiled. "Lead the way."_

 _Jenny looked up at Nick with a big smile that seemed to make sun shine a little brighter._

Nick blinked a bit and came back to reality. "No, she's not Jenny." He murmured. "She's Scribe Haylen. She's with the Brotherhood of Steel. She only looks like Jenny. Maybe coincidence, maybe a very distant descendant, but she's _NOT_ Jenny!" He repeated this a few times and got back to setting up his workstation. He couldn't get tangled up in caring for a client in that manner. He'd never hear the end of it from Ellie. Not to mention, Danse was just across the courtyard and from the sound of the groans outside the door, it was time for training.

Nick needed to focus. He had a job to do. But no matter what knobs he turned or what commands he typed on the terminal once it was hooked up to the power, nothing could shake these thoughts away.

"Jenny…" Nick murmured. "Jenny…"

* * *

 **Hi, hi, everyone!**

 **Is summer almost over already? I was at the store the other day and the clerks were already putting up Back to School sale signs. Where I live, school usually begins around the tail end of August, so I guess it makes sense that they start selling school supplies around the middle of July. If you're one of my international readers (hello, how do you do?), the American school year starts after we return from summer break. I know it is just another semester to some parts of the world, but it's worked here for a hundred or so years.**

 **Of course, I don't go to school anymore, but I figured you'd like a little explanation.**

 **I plan some confrontations between Nick and Danse in the future, including Nick calling out Danse's hypocrisy and misplaced loyalty to the Brotherhood's own hypocritical rhetoric. But that's a little ways away.**

 **The next chapter will involve some travel, if you don't mind. You know, I've traversed the Capitol Wasteland, I've saved the Commonwealth from assimilation by the hands of the Institute, but I think, like most Fallout fans, I've left my heart in the Mojave. I hope you guys are ready for a road trip! The next chapter will be somewhat short, but it just proves the theory that gossip travels fast and news of Maxson's transgressions are going to the last people he'd want to know.**

 **After that, we're going to check on Cait and the coat. Whose turn will it be when Cait's turn is over?**

 **So, how did I do? Let me know in a review so I can keep my story going! Don't forget to fav and follow for more hijinks! And also, follow me on dA and Tumblr for updates, random musings and things I just find interesting.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	14. Meanwhile

_The Battle Coat_

Meanwhile…

The little town of Goodsprings welcomed the cool desert morning as the sun rose over the hills. The stars from the clear night sky surrendered to the sun and another cloudless day approached. The air was cool, but slowly turned dry, as it did for the desert. The sounds of settlers getting up to do chores, tend to crops, and check on the animals sang out through the broken streets of the small desert town. Brahmin mooing and bighorners shuffling to their feet after the long night muted the cawing of a crow nearby.

A young woman, probably no older than her mid-twenties, walked toward the Prospector's Saloon, as she did every morning. This woman, Sunny Smiles, was the town's unofficial guard of the water supply below the town. She usually patrolled early in the morning when geckos tended to wake up. Most geckos knew to stay away from the water supply, but a few still popped up now and then.

"Mornin', Easy Pete!" shouted Sunny Smiles, walking up the stairs to the Prospector's Saloon.

"Mornin', Sunny." Easy Pete said, barely looking up. He was one of the only old timers that stayed when the NCR annexed most of the Mojave. His prospecting days were done and now he just wanted a place to sit and relax.

The Mojave Wasteland was kind to the small community, though some were still getting used to the NCR calling the shots around there. The residents of the settlement liked having NCR rangers patrolling the town as a sort of police force. It made them feel safer, but it came at a cost. With the annexation of New Vegas six years before, most of the Mojave soon followed suit. NCR taxes raised the price of everything from guns to regular scrap and with caps being slowly replaced by NCR paper bills, it made trade a little trickier. More trade from the now clear Long 15 should have been a boon, but few in town enjoyed the benefits. The only person in Goodsprings that really benefitted from the troops was Trudy, who ran the saloon and also happened to be the de facto mayor. Soldiers got to eat and drink, as she often said.

"Any caravans come by this morning?" Sunny asked, looking out to the road.

"Nope." Easy Pete said, leaning back in his chair. He was a man of few words.

Sunny was used to this. She nodded and kept her eyes on the road. The road leading out of town went straight to the Long 15, heading toward Primm. Sunny sighed softly and crossed her arms. "I was hoping one of those Gun Runner caravans would come by again. I've been hoping to get a new scope for my rifle."

Easy Pete only nodded. "Where's Cheyenne?" he asked.

"She's at home. She's getting old, so she sleeps most of the day." Sunny looked toward her little shack and sighed. Her dog, Cheyenne, was getting rather old and the scars from gecko bites over the years didn't seem to help her mobility. "Whelp, I promised Trudy I'd help out around the saloon today. Word is some troopers are coming in from the Strip and they are going to be mighty thirsty."

Easy Pete nodded as Sunny went inside. Sunny made her way to the bar, where Trudy was fruitlessly wiping down a stain. Trudy was a middle-aged woman who looked innocent enough. But the locals knew not to let the barmaid act fool them. Trudy had a sharp tongue and put many wise ass soldiers in their place since the Mojave annexation. It was silently understood that she was to be given the respect she earned and rightfully deserved as de facto mayor of Goodsprings.

"Mornin', Trudy." Sunny said, sitting at the bar.

"Mornin', Sunny." said Trudy. "You didn't happen to see the caravan this morning, did you?"

"Nah, I asked ol' Pete if any came by, and he said nope." Sunny leaned against the bar and looked around. No one was usually in the saloon this early in the morning. A booth by the backdoor had a trooper eating breakfast, and a traveler that had stopped in to rest sat at the end of the bar, probably so she could hear the radio better. But other than that, the bar was empty. "So, word is some troopers are headin' our way from the Strip."

Trudy nodded, giving up on the stain. "Yep, one of those guards roaming around said now that the Long 15 is clear of deathclaws, we're going to be seeing a lot more traffic."

"They say that every year and every year, those things keep coming back." Sunny said.

"They seemed pretty sure this time." Trudy said, picking up a glass.

"Well, whatever helps them sleep at night, I guess." Sunny took a bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla that Trudy put on the counter and glanced around. She could hear Mr. New Vegas on the radio talking about the latest headlines or whatever counted as news on the Strip. It was mostly about the NCR embassy taking over the Lucky 38 completely and turning it into their new base of operations while reopening the casino and hotel parts to patrons of New Vegas as a welcome center. Or something to that nature, Sunny wasn't really listening.

As if on que, a small group of troopers entered the saloon and sat in various places. "Alright, Sunny." Trudy started. "You know the routine: I'll pour the drinks, you work crowd control. Go see if there are any more coming and if that damn caravan finally gets here, you tell them I need my supplies, pronto!"

Sunny nodded and made her way to the entrance. Two troopers, a man and a woman, sat down at the bar. "Hey, barkeep! What'cha got?" asked the male trooper, taking off his hat and setting it on the bar.

"The usual." Trudy said. "Nuka-Cola, Sunset Sarsaparilla, water, some beer. I can whip up some grub if you're hungry, but I'm limited to wasteland omelets and big horner steaks until my caravan gets here."

"Two beers, please." said the male trooper.

"Comin' right up." Trudy replied. As Trudy got the beers from the old refrigerator, she couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversations around her. One of the perks of being the town bartender/mayor was the she could hear all the latest gossip before Mr. New Vegas had a chance to report on it. Soldiers had a hard time keeping their mouths shut about anything happening within the NCR and on the Strip. The one that got her attention the most was from the two troopers she was serving.

"So, like I was saying earlier, apparently the Brotherhood of Steel has a chapter out east. Not just a dispatch, a whole other chapter with its own Elder and everything." said the man as Trudy put the beers in front of them.

"Great, because I was just saying we need more of those power armored goons walking around acting like they own the Mojave." said his companion, with obvious sarcasm. "I know we have a truce with them and they're helping patrol the roads, but I still don't trust them."

The man nodded and peeled the label off his beer. It irked Trudy when people did that because they never cleaned it up. The man turned to his companion after he gave up on the sticker. "I hear the East Coast Chapter actually recruits members into their fold."

"Well, it's about time they started recruiting. Give us less work to do. They're traditionally isolationists, I know that much. Some people joined because they impressed an elder or something while most just have the misfortune of being born into it. I hope that fad spreads this way. If they don't start getting out more, 'keeping it in the family' is going to take a literal meaning in a few generations. If you catch my drift."

The man attempted to peal the rest of the sticker off the bottle but gave up again. "Well, at any rate, the Crimson Caravan bought some goods from a trader claiming to be from the Commonwealth. Brought some pretty cool stuff you can't find out here. I bought something that looked interesting and I think the others might, too."

The woman looked intrigued. "What? Another Pre-war nudie magazine?"

The man shook his head. "Oh, no. You know those old pulp novels we sometimes find? I bought the modern equivalent." He reached into his pack and took out a thick stack of papers haphazardly stapled together to look like a book. "They have a newspaper out there called 'Publick Occurrences' situated in some place called Diamond City. The trader said it's a settlement made from an old baseball park."

"I've heard of baseball. They tried playing it at McCarren once. They stopped when a ball crashed through Major Dhatri's tent and broke a terminal. So, what's the article about?" the woman asked.

"Apparently, an Elder in the East Coast Chapter went a little native, if you catch my drift. The title says it all: _'Knight of Passion! My Elder, My Lover!'_ " said the man. This comment made the patron at the end of the bar look over for a second, though neither NCR soldier noticed. She had probably been listening the entire time.

The woman thumbed through the article and started to blush. "Whoever wrote this had a damn good imagination. Have you read all of it?"

"Just finished it last night. I made sure to aim away so it wouldn't be so sticky." The man joked.

"Funny. And you say this came all the way from the Commonwealth? That's on the East Coast. Wow. And it's about the Brotherhood of Steel?" The woman put the paper down and finally took the cap off her beer.

"Yeah, I wonder what would happen if one of those tin cans around here got word of this?" the man asked.

The woman shrugged. "I heard there is a patrol of Brotherhood soldiers, or whatever they call them, that frequents the Long 15. I think one of their bunkers is near there."

"Don't they have some kind of headquarters in California somewhere?" the man asked.

"Yeah, it's not as isolated as it used to be, but they're still assholes to anyone not a part of their little club." said the woman.

"You want to know the best part?" The man said, bringing himself closer to his companion. "It's not just some Elder they chose from picking straws. It's a Maxson!"

His companion looked puzzled. "Who?" she asked, not sure of the significance.

"Maxson! A direct descendant of the guy that founded the Brotherhood like two hundred years ago!" The man tried not to laugh. "Next in line to be High Elder, from what I've heard."

The woman started laughing. She couldn't contain it. "Oh man, that's just too funny! I always thought those Brotherhood guys were naturally born with sticks up their asses, but hearing that the top of the chain can't keep it in his pants is just too much! And I'm assuming his torrid affair wasn't with some Good ol' Hometown Girl from the Brotherhood?"

"Phfft, no!" the man shouted, no longer caring about containing his voice. "Apparently, he got down and dirty with a Vault Dweller! They aren't that much higher on the Wastelander hierarchy to them, but at least she was clean!"

The woman tried to drink her beer but found herself sputtering too much to take a sip. "Oh man, that's rich. It's nice to hear that the Brotherhood can sometimes be caught with their pants down."

"Literally!" the man shouted, finishing his beer.

After another round, the two soldiers left. The bar didn't get much quieter. It seemed when two soldiers left, two more took their place at the bar. That was normal, though. Trudy still served drinks, made wastelander omelets and bighorner steaks, and kept the conversation going with other patrons. Trudy didn't notice one of the original patrons was still nursing a beer at the end of the bar. She was reassured that this woman was here, though. The woman at the end of the bar kept her hat down during the entire conversation. She had been trying to keep a low profile for years, but knew it was fruitless.

Courier Six, or just Six to her friends, had stopped over in Goodsprings on her way back from a job to check on things. Goodsprings held a special place in her heart, as well. It was the place she died, and then came back to life. It was where she got her beloved Pip-Boy, which she rarely ever took off now. That's how she put it, anyway. She became famous after that. What was supposed to be revenge and getting her parcel back turned into saving the Mojave from the Legion. She was glad that the hype around her died down, but she was still stopped from time to time by NCR soldiers and officials with questions about her role in the second battle of Hoover Dam. Six didn't like all the attention she got. She wasn't the only one who played a role in the battle, but everyone focused on her accomplishments.

She had a name, of course. A pretty one according to those who knew it. But she only used that name when she signed papers for packages. Most couriers went by their numbers. Hers was Six, so she usually went by Courier Six, or just Six.

"Another beer for the road, Trudy?" Six asked.

Trudy laughed and passed a beer to Six. "You barely touched the one I gave you earlier."

"Been trying to cut back." Six straightened her hat and left through the back door. "Put it on my tab."

Trudy didn't usually allow tabs, but for Six she made an exception. The least she could do for the woman who helped defend the town from escaped convicts and helped the NCR unite the Mojave. Trudy had to be kind to the Courier that sent troops through the town and boosted the little town from nowhere outpost to major settlement status.

The sun beat down on Six as she left the bar. She wasn't staying in Goodsprings long. She was actually on her way back toward Novac on the other side of the hills. Novac, a small settlement made out of a highway tourist trap rest stop, was where she made her home, now. She abandoned the Lucky 38 after the second battle of Hoover Dam. She told the NCR Ambassador to do whatever the hell he wanted with it. After she and her friends left the casino, the NCR wasted no time converting the top floors into their headquarters while working to open up the hotel and casino to visitors.

Either way, Six didn't care. She preferred her little hotel room in Novac. It was a good vantage point to keep an eye on both New Vegas and the roads coming and going. Six was about to head back that way when she was noticed a small crowd around a Crimson Caravan trader. She heard Sunny Smiles arguing with a trader in front of the bar and decided to pick up some supplies before she left. She could see the poor brahmin packed down with all kinds of wares.

"Those supplies were supposed to be here yesterday!" Sunny shouted at the poor Crimson Caravan trader. "And don't give me that 'Checkpoint in Sloan' crap again. You tell McLafferty that we'll do our trading through someone else if she don't get some reliable people!"

A few settlers had appeared to buy supplies after Sunny grabbed the giant sack of supplies for Trudy. The General Store owner, Chet, was just happy to get a resupply and didn't hassle the trader. After most of the settlers got what they needed, Six walked up. "You see any of those Mojave Express couriers on your way here?" she asked.

"Nah, I didn't see any. You waitin' on some mail?" The trader asked.

"You could say that." Six said, flashing her papers with the Mojave Express stamp on them. They certified that she was an official Mojave Express Courier. Courier Six to be precise. "You my contact for that 'special' package going to Lost Hills?"

"Ahh! So _you're_ Courier Six!" the trader said. "Good to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, but then again you probably hear that a lot. Yeah, I got your package. I was supposed to meet you in Novac, but whatever lightens my load." The trader pulled a box down from the large bundle on the poor brahmin's back. He opened it while Courier Six surveyed the area. "You know, the Crimson Caravan has been trying to expand east for years. I hear the head offices don't want to risk any caravanneers with Caesar's Legion still occupying much of the eastern plains. You think those rumors about Caesar are true?"

The Legion, though not the huge threat they were a few years ago, still caused trouble around the Mojave. Rumor had it that Caesar was pretty much a vegetable at this point, but most weren't sure if that rumor was just spread by traders from Legion controlled lands to give the NCR a false sense of security.

Six shrugged. "Who knows. I wouldn't put it past them to spread rumors this way to lull the NCR into a false sense of security. Then again, aside from the usual troublemakers, you don't hear a lot about the Legion nowadays. My bet is that the remaining Legionnaires will get bored and go back to their lives. Dwindling numbers mean they can't hold onto their lands for long. I say another few years, and they'll either disappear completely or surrender unconditionally."

"Legion isn't known for surrendering." said the trader. "I hear most of them kill themselves before surrendering. But then you probably already know the NCR has had a Legion Centurion locked up at McCarren for the last six years. At this point, I think he just likes the free rent."

Six nodded and saw the man take a stack of papers out of the box. "Is that my package?" she asked. "A box full of papers? Why are they hiring out the Mojave Express to deliver paper?"

"Beats me." said the trader. "Some people I've talked to said the Brotherhood of Steel will sometimes pay prospectors to find technical documents in the ruins. Prospectors send them in through caravans or couriers to wherever the hell they go. One of their guys usually meets up with the caravan at a big settlement, like Novac or the Outpost. It's lazy on the Brotherhood's part, but it saves them time and puts a little extra cash in our pockets. Why they want you to go all the way to Lost Hills is beyond me. I guess their courier budget is a little slim."

Six rolled her eyes and tossed the box in her pack before signing a piece of paper claiming she got the package. Now, it was only a matter of delivering the package, getting another signature, and then heading back to Primm for payment. "Seems like a waste of time to contract both the Crimson Caravan and the Mojave Express for a bundle of papers. If it's not chems, the Fiends won't bother. And the Legion doesn't come out this way anymore. Even so, they'd probably think the papers are worthless and burn them."

"The Brotherhood is a paranoid bunch. They probably don't want the NCR to get wise to whatever the hell is on those papers. But, whatever. We get paid either way." The trader said.

Six nodded. She couldn't argue with that logic. She honestly didn't care how the Brotherhood got their information. If it meant Six could travel and get paid to do it, she was happy. "You got anything else worth buying?" Six asked, tossing her pack over her shoulder.

The trader picked a sack off the poor brahmin and set it out in front of him. "The Saloon's little gun cleaned out most of my food and drink, but I got some scrap and other knick-knacks."

"How about anything from the East Coast?" Six asked.

"Ahh, you're in luck!" The trader said, rummaging through the bag. "Mostly knick-knacks and scrap. Old regional flavors of Nuka-Cola are pretty in demand. Ever hear of something called Nuka-Quantum? It was some kind of Nuka-Cola flavor that was being released on the East Coast before they branched out before the war. Those go fast. But if you're like me, you're a Sunset Sarsaparilla girl. I think you'll be more interested in what I have hidden underneath all this." The trader grabbed a small stapled stack of papers from the bottom of the bag and held it up. "A trader from out east brought this to the Crimson Caravan about a little while ago. He had a whole stack of them when he arrived. You're looking at the last copy that hasn't been sold yet."

The trader waved the stack in the Courier's face in a tantalizing manner. "Have you read it yet?" She asked.

"I have my own copy I keep in my personal pack. It's a doozy, let me tell you." The trader was obviously trying to sweeten the deal. Six's expression didn't change much when she took the paper and thumbed through it. "Apparently, there is a city on the East Coast called Diamond City. It's in a region called The Commonwealth. I don't know much about it, except that this is an issue of a newspaper they have out there called 'Publick Occurrences'. It's not as fine-tuned as the New Vegas Tribune, but it gets news to people I suppose."

"Looks like some kind of rag publication." Six said. "Old printing press work from the looks of it."

"You work with what you got, you know?" the trader said. "It's my last copy and I doubt I'll be getting anymore. I'll give it to you at a discount."

The Courier read the headline. " _'Knight of Passion'_? Creative." She said, handing over a handful of caps to the trader. Six wandered off as the trader started putting his bundle back together. She made her way to the front porch of the saloon and took the seat Easy Pete had been occupying until a moment ago. She had some time before she was due on the road, so she decided to read. The way she read it looked like she was fishing for information.

Courier Six had never been to the East Coast. She'd been up and down the highways, all over the desert, and now made her permanent home in the Mojave. She had heard that the war did a number on the eastern part of the country. Some places were barely livable. While the Mojave wasn't exactly paradise, it wasn't as bad as Six had heard it was on the East Coast. How anyone irked out a living there, she had no clue. But it wasn't her concern. Six looked distressed by what she read. Six had some knowledge of the Brotherhood of Steel as an organization. Mostly from what the friendly patrols told her and what her friend, Veronica, had explained once.

"Fraternization on this level would cause the Elder's Council to flip their lids. And this had already been circulating for over a month!" Six muttered, turning the page. From what she knew, most traders claiming to be from the East said it took almost two months (three if one avoided certain areas) to get to the west. Six wasn't a whiz at numbers and figures, but she knew simple math. Whoever picked up these papers and brought them out here must have bought an entire bundle the day it was released.

Six estimated it would take her at least four days to reach Lost Hills on foot. That's what her Pip-Boy said when she plotted the course into her map function. She wondered how much they'd pay for this. She was on good terms with the Brotherhood of Steel professionally, but Six made it a rule to not get involved personally with them. She didn't agree with their philosophy and thought their entire rhetoric was somewhat hypocritical. But all that she could ignore. It was the way they treated her friend, Veronica, that made Six's blood boil. Veronica had been a scribe within the Mojave chapter. She pleaded with them to open their eyes and see the big picture, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Both women decided to take the better part of valor and just leave, but some trigger happy soldiers followed them. What's worse, they killed innocent people when Veronica tried to reestablish a life for herself within the Followers of the Apocalypse. Not on Elder McNamara's orders, or anyone else's. They followed Six and Veronica and slaughtered an entire outpost of doctors for no just reason.

Thanks to a special energy weapon Six fished out of an abandoned vault, the soldiers were easy to take down. Despite Six's efforts afterwards, she couldn't comfort Veronica. Veronica felt personally responsible for what happened and it still stayed with her to this day. It showed Six how hypocritical the Brotherhood could be. Now, with this newspaper from out east floating around, it was plain as day that the Brotherhood of Steel often used their influence to get what they wanted. The sickening notion that an Elder, the highest and most respected position in any chapter, used his position to take advantage of another soldier made Six's blood boil.

Six's face made itself into an evil grin. "You know what? I'm feeling charitable. I think I'll 'donate' this information. I may not see what'll happen, but knowing I helped the cause is payment enough."

With a smirk and a stride in her step, Courier Six made her way down the broken pavement. She decided to double-time it, because she was a concerned citizen and such actions should be reported immediately to the right people. Or so she told herself while laughing down the highway. She turned her Pip-Boy to Radio New Vegas. Heartaches by the Number was playing. It felt oddly perfect for the moment.

* * *

 **Hi, hi, everyone!**

 **So, this is about to get messy, right? Before you ask, no we probably won't be hearing from Courier Six again. That's why I didn't explain too much about her in this chapter.**

 **I'm probably never going to hear the end of it, but I'll explain why I chose the NCR ending over all the others for most of my New Vegas playthroughs. In my opinion, there are only two real options for the Mojave to become stable: Mr. House or the NCR. If you've played the game, you'll know that an independent New Vegas would pretty much collapse on itself. Everyone on the Strip, in Freeside, or anywhere else in the Vegas area is only out for themselves, no matter how altruistic they claim to be. It'll be too easy for someone else to come in and take control. There is always someone smarter, someone stronger, or someone with a higher charisma stat that can throw a monkey wrench into everything. It would be an endless power struggle. It's pretty obvious why the Legion is a horrible idea, so I won't bother to explain it. The NCR, for all its flaws and hiccups, has the best interests of the people at heart. Yes, taxes and yes stricter laws, but that comes with any government. It would have come with Caesar or anyone else.**

 **My only real argument for New Vegas under Mr. House is that it has worked pretty well for the few years he's been in command, so why kill a good thing?**

 **The main difference between the NCR and Mr. House is that Mr. House is an unknown figure. The people don't trust him because they can't see him. No one knows if he's truly a person, a sentient computer program, or what. The Lucky 38 has been locked up for so long, and when the Courier comes strolling in and out, the people are rightfully astonished. The NCR, though an obvious military force, isn't hidden away God knows where. It's right there. The embassy is right there. The MPs are on the corner, keeping the peace and keeping the recruits in check. The soldiers are physical beings that the people can see. Yes, that's both a good and bad thing, but the NCR being tangible probably gives more people hope than those creepy Securitrons roaming around. In my special head canon, the NCR has set up shop in the Lucky 38 and reopened the casino and hotel part as a welcome center, thus putting more money into the NCR's efforts in the surrounding areas.**

 **I think, despite everything, the NCR would probably be a better choice. Yes, they are stretched thin in the time of New Vegas, but once they annex the Mojave and get recruitment going, I think the people will start to feel safer and more confident about the future. Yes, they'll grumble about taxes and having to convert most of their caps to NCR paper bills, but what would you rather carry around in a desert that reaches over 120 degrees in the daytime? A sack full of metal objects or a little wallet with bills in it? I think the conversion rate will fix itself a bit with the annexation, too.**

 **Some of Six's friends might be coming for a visit in later chapters. I haven't decided yet.**

 **Veronica and ED-E were my favorite companions in New Vegas. After I completed all the companion quests, I always go back to Veronica and ED-E. In my head canon, ED-E lives with Six at the hotel in Novac and Veronica lives nearby in one of the shacks, acting as the handyman (or woman) of the town. ED-E will often accompany Six on Courier jobs if it's not too far out. It's the perfect life for the Courier and her two most faithful companions.**

 **Next chapter, we come back to the Commonwealth and check on Cait. She's just now waking up after her harrowing experience.**

 **So, how did I do? Leave me a review, but let's not argue about perfect New Vegas endings. I like hearing from my readers, but let's keep this civil, okay?**

 **Want to keep up with my life or argue New Vegas endings? Check me out on dA or Tumblr, where we can do just that. Let's keep this crazy train going!**

 **So, you know the drill: Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	15. Sanctuary

_The Battle Coat_

Sanctuary

" _She's right here, Preston. Be careful with her. She's still recovering."_

" _I got her, MacCready. Help me put her on this bed. Keep her covered."_

" _Why is that junky back here? Hasn't she caused enough trouble?"_

" _Marcy, Preston told us she's harmless…maybe it's okay now…"_

" _Shut up, Jun! Last time she was here, she stomped on our entire melon crop! Sturges saw her! Right, Sturges?"_

" _Only because you mouthed off to her, Marcy! I fixed up your precious melon patch good as new. Now, unless you have something useful to contribute, move out of our way!"_

Cait didn't open her eyes, but she was awake enough to hear the arguing over her. She looked around, trying to focus her eyes. How long had she been asleep? How long were they on the road? She didn't have the strength to sit up, so she just turned her head. She recognized this house. It was the house the settlers in Sanctuary used as a headquarters. The rooms in the house were occupied by Mama Murphy, Jun and Marcy Long, Sturges the settlement's handyman, and by Preston Garvey. The living room was empty, save for a few chairs and a radio. And now, the cot she was laying on. She was alone in the room, but she could hear arguing going on outside.

"I'll fix up one of the old beds here for her. I got plenty of materials." said Sturges. "But I don't think keeping her in the main house will be such a good idea. Too much activity. If she needs rest, we can put her up in one of the empty houses."

"Yes, put her as far away from my crops as possible!" shouted a voice she recognized as Marcy Long.

"Marcy, shut up about your damn melons!" Cait heard MacCready say. He sounded a lot more rested. "We've had a long trip here and the last thing we need is your two cents. Look, get Codsworth and have him fix up that house he's always in. That way, she'll be away from everyone while she recovers."

"Our greenhouse is by that house!" Marcy shouted.

"Marcy, if I hear one more word-" MacCready was cut off by a brahmin mooing nearby.

"Zip it, both of you." Preston said, starting to lose his patience. Preston rarely got mad, but it sounded like he was starting to get upset with the bickering. "Cait is here, she's a member of our settlement, and once she's well, I'm sure she'll be a welcome addition. But right now, she needs to recover and the houses around the paved circle are farthest from everything. She can rest there, and once she has her strength back, we'll find her something to do."

Cait heard Marcy mutter something and then go back to whatever she was doing when the caravan arrived. When the crowd finally dispersed, Preston took MacCready aside. Cait could hear them, even if they couldn't see her.

"I got a radio message this morning before you arrived. It only told me to expect you and Cait." Preston said quietly.

"Yeah, that note one of your guys gave you when we arrived should explain everything, but the short version is we found a way to cure Cait's…'affliction'." MacCready said. "Nora and Piper were heading to Diamond City, but should be along in a day or so."

"Were you hassled on the way here?" Preston asked.

"We got stopped by a Brotherhood patrol. They claimed they were looking for contraband or something. When we told them we had a sick person in the wagon, they backed off." MacCready said. "Good thing we had her covered with those blankets. If they saw the jacket…"

Cait then remembered she was still covered by the big jacket Nora put on her at Somerville Place. Cait attempted to lift her head to get a better look. Her strength was coming back slowly, but she was able to crane her neck enough to see the jacket. It still covered her body like a blanket. It was nice and warm, and the rough leather looked durable. It also smelled like sweat and Buffout. Cait chuckled a little bit and let her head fall back onto the bed.

Cait heard Preston put the butt of his gun on the ground outside. "We'd have bigger issues than a sick settler if the Brotherhood saw that coat. They'd probably assume the worst."

MacCready's shadow nodded from what Cait could see. "The last thing we need right now is those tin cans storming Sanctuary. It's hard to keep a low profile in that coat, though. Well, we'd better get to it, then. I'll find Codsworth and have him fix up a room in that house. I say give her a few days to sleep off whatever that detox did to her."

After the two men walked off in different directions, Cait fell back to sleep. It wasn't an easy sleep, though. Cait tossed and turned constantly. Her body wasn't used to feeling so clean. There were times when the Psycho going through her body was the only thing keeping her from falling over. Now, she didn't know what to do. She didn't feel any need to get up and hunt down Psycho anymore. It was an odd feeling, not having a want so bad, you could taste it. It was surprisingly liberating.

She must have been asleep when they moved her, because when Cait woke up, she had no idea how she got to this house. It had been cleaned of all debris, but it still looked dilapidated. She could hear humming from the main room of the house. It sounded like Codsworth. Cait found that she had enough strength to sit up now. When she did, the jacket slid off her body, though she didn't notice. A soft cold air wafted through the house, making Cait shiver. She got up and slowly walked out of the room. Her walking was a little wobbly, so she held onto the walls for support. Cait seemed to catch Codsworth by surprise. He was making something on a wobbly table.

"Ahh, Miss Cait! So good to see you up and about again! Did you have a good sleep? I hope you're hungry, you slept most of the day. It's nearly dinnertime!" Codsworth shouted, swinging his arms about. Codsworth was Nora's Mister Handy butler from before the war. How he survived all this time with barely any rust or his programing corrupting was anyone's guess. While Preston and the others found him helpful and a nice change from the raiders they encountered on the road, Cait never really cared for him. Codsworth was always so jovial despite all the insults she shouted at him and no one was sure if it was faulty programing or just gaining an upbeat attitude.

Cait looked around at the ramshackle house. "What…what's going on?" she asked.

"Oh, Mr. MacCready said you might be a bit disoriented. They told me not to bother you, but I just had to come check on you!" Codsworth floated about the room, which Cait assumed was once a living room, and gathered a few things. "I know Miss Nora would want you to get your strength back, so I took the liberty of making you something to eat! I'm afraid it's not much, just some vegetable stew I made from Mrs. Long's carrots and tatos. I had to alter the recipe from my programing, but it should taste fine just the same. I added some silt beans for more texture."

Cait thought she heard Codsworth let out a sneaky laugh, but was caught off guard by laughter coming from the distance. Cait walked to the blown out window and looked out. It was strange being in a community that wasn't destroyed completely. Sanctuary was probably the cleanest, most organized place in the entire Commonwealth. Cait looked outside and saw MacCready talking with Sturges and Jun Long. Where a house once stood, the settlers of Sanctuary turned the foundation into a big patio. Some benches were there, a campfire sat under a roasting spit, and an end table with a busted leg taped back together had a radio playing music from Diamond City Radio on it.

Looking around, Cait could see the newly repaired wooden bridge at the entrance to the settlement. People were working hard to make this place livable again. Cait sighed and started back for her room. Codsworth followed her, carrying a tray balanced on his flamer arm and held in place with his pincer hand. He floated behind Cait and sat the tray of food on a small table near the bedroom window. "Mr. Garvey has asked me to look after you while you recover. It brings back memories…" Codsworth said, fixing up the tray.

"Memories of what?" Cait asked, feeling exhausted.

"Memories of taking care of my family." Codsworth said. He sounded sad. "Before the war, Mr. and Mrs. Howard relied on me greatly. Right after they purchased the house, they bought me. I stayed by Miss Nora's side when Master Nate was deployed to Anchorage, when she had complications from her pregnancy with young Shaun, and I loyally served my family right before…"

He didn't finish his sentence. Cait heard the sound of a throat being cleared, but she knew Codsworth had no need to do that. Cait watched Codsworth busy himself around the room before finally telling her to get plenty of rest and to eat. Cait just sat on her bed. Cait remembered being a child and living in the abandoned park. During her nearly endless chore duties, she would sometimes look out among the destroyed park benches and twisted metal of the playground and wonder what the Pre-war people did during the day.

Cait felt clean, even though it'd be a long time since she'd had a real bath. Last time she was in Sanctuary, Sturges had been talking with Nora on how to get the plumbing in some of the houses working again by routing pipes from the river nearby. Nora wasn't much of an engineer and most of the things Sturges said went over her head. She gave Sturges the go-ahead anyway if it meant she didn't have to pump water into a purifier and then into a washtub just to take a bath.

Hugging her knees, Cait felt herself smile. That smile faded when she heard the familiar accent of the settlement's unofficial science officer. Cait groaned when the Synth Curie ran into the house. Cait sighed, knowing Garvey or Codsworth told Curie about Cait.

Curie was a former Miss Nanny bot that, through a process Cait didn't bother to learn or understand, was now in a Synth body. Curie still kept the Miss Nanny accent, which Nora said was a French accent. Nora then explained what France was. If there was one thing Nora, Piper, and Cait agreed on, is that Curie had a knack of getting on people's nerves. She was helpful in that her medical expertise came in quite handy on more than one occasion, but her overly cheerful naivete often rubbed at least these three women the wrong way.

Most people thought Curie's sweetly innocent curiosity was adorable. Cait was not one of those people. Cait assumed Nora helped Curie to the extent that she could before she couldn't take it anymore and just left her at Sanctuary, giving her the unofficial title of the settlement's science officer just to keep her busy.

Curie's curiosity was cute, at first. Nora said it reminded her of when she first left Vault 111. But even then, Nora knew she had to keep her curiosity to a limit if she was to survive. Soon, Curie asked Nora to help her with her scientific study and help her get a human body. Using her contacts within the Railroad, Nora saw to it. Nora had hoped it would curve her curiosity and naiveite. It did not. In fact, it got worse.

New Synth Curie had gotten Nora and Piper into many unneeded scraps with raiders, mutants, feral ghouls, and one time incited a bar fight they narrowly escaped. Nora and Piper told the last story in frustrating detail to Cait while they were on the road. Nora ended up dragging Curie back to Sanctuary and leaving her there under the pretense of the settlement needing a scientific mind. She didn't want to put Curie in Sanctuary, but knew any other settlement would boot her out in a minute and she didn't want that weighing on her conscience.

Nora finished the story with, "I hated to do it, but she's Garvey's problem, now." And now, standing at the door, she was about to be Cait's problem.

"Oh! Mademoiselle Cait!" Curie shouted, running into the room. Her accent just made her more annoying in Cait's opinion. Curie's new Synth body was that of a slender young woman in a flannel shirt and patched trousers, which was typical wastelander garb. She had short brown hair and her eyes were big and expressive. The body fit her perfectly. "Monsieur Codsworth said you were resting, so I decided to come and see if you needed anything."

"Yeah, because that's the perfect time to bother someone." Cait said, laying back down. "Curie, I'm going to say this as nicely as I possibly can in the state I'm in: will you please bugger off and go be annoying somewhere else so I can sleep?!"

Curie giggled. "Oh, that is just the detox affecting your mindset. I will stay with you until the detox agent leaves your body completely."

"And how long will that be?" Cait asked.

"Normal detoxing agents usually stay within the body for a period of three to five days." Curie said.

"Great…" Cait groaned, grabbing the jacket and pulling it over her head. Cait let the sound of Curie talking blur as she attempted to sleep. When Curie finally left to do whatever she was going on about, Cait started to relax a bit. She didn't sleep, though. She found herself staring at the ceiling, listening to everything going on outside. Cait found it unsettling that she could hear her own heartbeat.

 _What am I going to do now?_ Cait found herself thinking after her attempts to sleep failed. _I'm stuck in this burg with nothing but me own name. Hell, I barely have that. I don't know what to do now that I don't have the Psycho crutch. Everyone used to blame me behavior on the Psycho, but what if I can't use that anymore? How can I make a go of life here if everyone just sees me as the junky Nora picked up? I can't let this chance go to waste. I ain't some cage fighter workin' for a fix anymore. Most people on Psycho usually end up in a ditch somewhere. Hell, that's where those Ghouls found me. They took pity on me when everyone else cashed out years ago. Granted, they don't know me very well. But if complete strangers can see the good in me, then…_

Cait sat up and looked outside when she heard the settlement bell. It was already early evening, meaning the day was done. It was gearing to be a nice evening, considering the cold snap recently. She smiled when she saw people dusting off their hands and walking over to the patio for a drink and a well-earned dinner.

Putting the big coat on, Cait stood up and started wobbling toward the door. "…maybe there's hope for me, yet." She said, genuinely smiling for the first time in a long time. As wobbly as Cait was, she still made it to the bedroom door.

Cait made it to the living area when she was stopped by Codsworth. "Miss Cait, what are you doing out of bed?" Codsworth shouted, his three optics widening. "You are in no condition to be wandering around!"

"I'm going out of me gourd sittin' in that damn bed." Cait said as Codsworth escorted her back to her room. "I want to have a few with the others."

"I'm sorry, but drinking alcohol is strictly out of the question until you are fully recovered. You need your rest! What will Miss Nora say if she comes back and sees you worse off than when you arrived?" Codsworth's eye stalks moving to face her was creepy, but the way they moved about independently of each other and Codsworth's body was even creepier.

Cait was about to make a remark that Nora wasn't her mother, but then realized that Nora had done more for her in their short time knowing each other than her real mother ever did in the eighteen years she lived at home. Cait sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "I guess it's best I rest." She groaned.

"Splendid rhyme, Miss Cait. And quite apt as well." Codsworth said. His optics took in Cait's sour face. He made a sighing motion. "Please don't think me horrid, Miss Cait. But I do wish to see you better. Miss Nora obviously has high hopes for you. And you must admit, hope is in short supply nowadays."

Cait nodded and watched Codsworth float off. "Wait, Codsworth!" Cait shouted. Codsworth stopped where he was and floated back to Cait. "Where is MacCready? Didn't he come back with me?"

Codsworth's eyes made nodding motions, which Cait also found creepy. "Yes, Mr. MacCready is here. He's sleeping in the main house. He's been asleep since you two arrived, or a little after, anyway. Poor man looked like he hadn't slept in days!" Codsworth's eyes focused and unfocused. "Mr. Garvey put him right to bed. Whose bed, I'm not sure. He'll be hungry once he wakes up, so I'm off to help fix dinner! I'll bring you some, Miss Cait!"

And with that, Codsworth floated off again. Cait looked at the untouched bowl of mystery soup with the bent spoon sticking out of it on the pathetic looking table near the bedroom door. She went to pick up the bowl, noting it was barely lukewarm now.

On the patio, the settlers took their spots near the roasting spit. Codsworth turned the handle of the spit, making the brahmin meat spin over the fire. "Are we celebrating something tonight?" Sturges joked, throwing another stick on the fire. "You had me take out the good brahmin meat from Diamond City. What's the occasion, Cods?"

Codsworth detested that nickname, but allowed it because he liked Sturges. "It's a proper welcome home for Mr. MacCready and Miss Cait! She'll need her strength and beef is high in protein! Well, I assume it still is, anyway. There could really be anything in brahmin meat…"

Sturges laughed. "Don't worry, that fire will roast out anything bad."

Preston walked over to the patio with a few cold beers from the big repurposed gas station freezer by Nora's house. "I thought I smelled roasting brahmin." He said, handing a beer to Sturges and sitting down. "How is Cait doing, Codsworth?"

"Better, but she's restless." Codsworth said, with a hint of regret. "She needs her rest and I don't think Miss Curie is helping matters."

Preston didn't say anything. He liked Curie but thought her naivete was a bit frustrating. "Curie can be a handful. But she has good intentions."

"Good intentions won't help Curie if Cait decides to throw something at her." Sturges warned, sipping his beer.

Jun, looking more worn and haggard than usual, came up to the men and sat down on the patio with them. Jun often buried himself in work to keep from thinking about all the horrible things that happened to him and his friends on their way to Sanctuary. He was a broken man, a shell of his former self. He was taking the long route toward healing, but it seemed to be doing him some good. Most of the settlers were more accepting of Jun than they were of his wife, Marcy.

"We just planted some tato crops in the greenhouse." Jun muttered, accepting a beer from Preston. "When Cait's well, she can help with those. Tatos are simple to care for. I like tato plants…"

All the men nodded to Jun, with Sturges giving him a soft pat on the back. "Look at us," Sturges said, watching the brahmin meat cook. "…if someone told me when we started from Quincy that we'd be planting tatos, sleeping in actual beds, and eating prime brahmin steaks, I would have called that person drunk. But now, we've got roofs over our heads, we've got three square meals, and we've got a bustling little homestead with potential. I tell you, we actually made a go of this place."

"We have the General to thank for that." Preston said, putting his beer down. "If she hadn't come by when she did…"

Sturges laughed and waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, Nora's great, I've heard it from a hundred different people. Yeah, she helped us get established, but it was our hard work that turned this little shit hole into something we could be proud of. You know, Preston, as much as you praise Nora, I'm starting to get the impression that you have a little crush on her."

Preston blushed and turned away. "She-she's a good person, and I-I admire that."

Sturges laughed and Jun let out a soft chuckle. "He's just picking at you, Preston." Jun said, sitting up. "I don't know what would have happened if she hadn't found us when she did, and I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful for this place. It feels more like home than Quincy did. I just wish…Kyle was here to enjoy it with us."

Jun felt Sturges' big hand on his shoulder. "Cheer up, Jun. This is a celebration! We're alive and well, and we've got a new settler to help out! Once Cait's strength is back, I'll show her the ropes. Marcy will finally get the help she's been complaining about for those tato crops."

"So, the rumors are true!" said a voice coming from behind them. "The champ IS here!"

"Those Minutemen we passed earlier weren't screwing with us." said another voice, this one lower and more melodically with a a slight rasp. The group looked up and saw two figures coming toward the fire. One was obviously a Ghoul wearing colonial clothing and the other was a nondescript bald man wearing sunglasses. The bald man was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Despite his attempts to go incognito, everyone knew who this man was.

"Hancock, you old shuffler!" Sturges joked. "What brings you all the way out here?"

"I decided to take a vacation. Ran into Deacon doing recon outside of Lexington and we decided to make our freak show a duet." Hancock laughed, sitting on a nearby box. "He said something about needing to lay low after a mission."

Preston sighed. He knew what Deacon usually meant when someone found him wandering around outside in the open. "So, which settlement were you kicked out of this time, Deacon?" he asked, putting his beer down beside him.

"This might surprise you, but I wasn't kicked out this time. The robots at Graygarden politely asked me to leave." Deacon said, with an air of superiority while adjusting his sunglasses. "I may have overstayed my welcome by a few weeks. Met up with Hancock on the road and decided to lay low here. By the way, if an angry Mister Handy talking like a Pre-War actress comes by looking for some crops and scrap metal that may have gone 'missing'…"

The others laughed loudly, getting Cait's attention. She had almost been asleep but couldn't keep her eyes closed. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to get out of this bed before she went mad. Cait wrapped the coat tightly around her and started to leave again. Cait was still a little dizzy, so she took her steps slowly. Cait finally made it to the front of the house and leaned against the door frame. Cait was starting to think she should have eaten some of the mystery soup Codsworth brought her.

"Going somewhere, Junky?" asked a harsh voice behind her. Cait slowly turned her head and saw the disapproving glare of Marcy Long. Marcy was a centimeter or so shorter than Cait, but had no problem making herself out to be bigger. Cait wasn't sure if Marcy was capable of any other facial expression besides disgusted disapproval. Marcy was always busying herself with something, so she was helpful around the settlement. But her mouth often got her into trouble.

"Just getting' some fresh air." Cait murmured, watching more people join the little celebration on the patio.

"Just so you know, I'm on to you." Marcy said, crossing her arms. "You may have the others fooled, but I'm not so trusting. I've seen chem addicts say they're clean only to find them scratching at my door begging for their next fix. I ran the pharmacy in Quincy before the Gunners ran us out. We only supplied medical chems, but we still had travelers come in begging for Psycho or Jet."

"That ain't what I'm about anymore." Cait said, looking mournful. "I was found in a marsh by friendly Ghouls and they helped nurse me back to…I guess this counts as health. A marsh. Face down in the muck and slime, that's where Psycho took me. I'm not goin' back to that."

Marcy's expression barely changed. She looked like she was thinking for a bit before letting out a long, frustrated sigh. "This world is harsh, but I'm sure you already know that." Marcy said, her tone lightening a bit as she looked towards the others. "Some people pollute their bodies with garbage just to get by. Like Mama Murphy and you, at least up until recently. People rarely get second chances in this world. We got one finding this dump. If you legitimately want to get clean, I suggest you not waste this gift you've been given. Once you're back on your feet, you can start with a tatos. Then, maybe I'll let you help with with the melons and gourds."

Cait wasn't sure why Marcy was so damn protective of the melon patch behind the main house. She didn't get a chance to ask when Marcy walked toward the patio. Cait thought about the mess she had found herself in not long ago and didn't think she'd end up recovering in a place like Sanctuary.

On the patio, everyone welcomed MacCready as he sat on the open bench near the spit. "How's it hanging, MacCready?" Hancock asked.

"Hancock, I heard you were coming this way. I figured you would have gotten here before I did. When did you get in?" MacCready asked.

"Just arrived with Deacon. I took the long way. You know I like the scenic routes." Hancock said, leaning against his knee. "Is it true? You found Cait?"

MacCready nodded sadly. "Yeah. Me, Nora, and Piper were leaving the Castle when Nora received word about Cait outside of Quincy. A family of Ghoul farmers found her unconscious in the marsh and called for Minutemen assistance. When we got there, the Minutemen and their medic gave us a grim prognosis."

Cait heard MacCready tell them about Vault 95 and the journey to Sanctuary. Cait sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to hide the fact that she was a mess forever. She brought the jacket closer to her body and decided to face the music. Everyone looked up when Cait stepped onto the patio.

"Cait! You're up!" MacCready said, scooting over to make room for her. He looked relieved to see her.

"Hey, Champ!" Deacon shouted, holding up his beer.

"How are you feeling?" Jun asked, though it was barely audible.

Cait rubbed her messy hair and sat down. "Fine, I suppose."

"Good!" Preston said, with a hopeful look. "I'm glad we were able to make you comfortable. Curie said it might be a few days before the detox leaves your system. So, just take it easy and when you're feeling better, we'll get you started with a few easy jobs around the settlement."

Cait nodded and took some water Codsworth handed her. "You really should be resting, Miss Cait."

"Ahh, let her sit with us a while, Codsworth." said Sturges. "I know I'd be going out of my damn mind if I had to sit in a room with nothing to do. A little community won't hurt her."

They all laughed when Codsworth started muttering in disapproval. This feeling of community was strange to Cait. People sitting around, joking with each other, working together to make a place better or at the very least livable. Cait had gotten so used to people using her that she had forgotten what it was like to have people care about her. Many people over the years tried to show her kindness only for her parents to uproot their family and run off before the rent was due or the lynch mob came after them for something her mother or father did.

Cait smiled when Codsworth handed her a plate with a well done piece of brahmin steak and some bent utensils. She thanked him and started eating. It was an odd feeling watching the people around her. She thought about this after dinner when she was getting ready for bed. Codsworth was nice enough to change out the sheets with somewhat fresher ones. Cait looked out what was probably once a window and saw everyone bedding down for the night. Except for Hancock, Deacon, Mama Murphy, and Codsworth roaming around, the settlement was quiet.

"Miss Cait, take off that jacket, if you please." Codsworth said, after he finished preparing the bed. "My sensors detect that it's filthy from dirt, grime, and human bile."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, Codsy." Cait murmured, sliding the big jacket off. "After the detox, I lost control over a few of me functions for a bit. I was goin' to give it back to Nora when she and Piper showed up."

Codsworth's optics widened. "I wouldn't dream of giving it back to Ma'am in that condition! I will see to it that it's cleaned and freshened up for her when she returns. In the meantime, I acquired a nice quilt from one of those traveling caravans and, along with the spare blankets from the Minutemen, I have remade your bed. Now, I'll have your clothes too and you can use this nightgown I found in an old bureau. Not to worry, it's patched up and mostly radiation free. I'll have your clothes cleaned and sanitized by morning!"

Cait went to the only corner of the room that wasn't exposed to the outside and changed out of her only set of clothes. Codsworth, being the gentleman he was, hovered outside while Cait changed. She handed him her corset top, her ratty paints, and her boots before finally handing over the jacket.

"Codsworth…" Cait mumbled before Codsworth could hover away.

"Yes, Miss Cait?" he asked, his three eye stalks facing her.

Cait smiled. "Thank you."

"Not a problem, Miss Cait. I'll have a wash tub made up in the morning. If this jacket and these articles of…'clothing' are any indication, you'll need a proper bath, too." Codsworth said, hovering out of the house.

Cait went back to her room and watched Codsworth hover down to the water purifiers to do laundry. Cait hugged herself and laid down on the freshly cleaned cot. When she was first brought to Sanctuary by Nora all those months ago, she wasn't sure what was so great about the place. It was far north of anything good and it was too quiet. Too peaceful. Cait hated it so much that she left to find some excitement. That path led to her being found in a swamp by Ghouls.

But now, watching the stars above through the cracks in the ceiling made Cait smile. She wasn't sure when the last time she had gotten a full night's sleep was. She was always sleeping with one eye open or with a pistol under her pillow. Sometimes both. But she felt safe here. For the first time in a long time, Cait felt confident about what tomorrow would bring. Once she had her strength (and her clothes) back, Cait wasn't going to waste her life away. Cait brought the quilt close to her and for the first time in her life, drifted off to peaceful sleep.

By the river, Codsworth rang out Cait's corset shirt and tossed it into a basket with the other articles of clothing. Codsworth enjoyed doing laundry, but had to get used to doing it the old fashioned way. He was programed for such an occurrence but until the bombs fell, never felt he'd ever use the knowledge. Codsworth picked up the basket and brought it toward the main house. There wasn't any sunlight to warm the clothes dry, but Codsworth's thruster combined with the campfire usually warmed up anything nearby.

"Hey, Cods!" said Deacon as Codsworth hovered toward the patio. "Isn't it a little late to be doing laundry?"

"These are Miss Cait's clothes. They needed to be washed and sanitized." Codsworth said, plucking Cait's clothes out of the basket and pinning them to the clothesline. "It's not the designated laundry day, but this was a rush order!"

Deacon figured Codsworth helped the settlement by keeping it on a strict schedule, along with miscellaneous maintenance that needed to be done. Deacon laughed a bit and then saw something that made him forget his beer. The big battle coat, the one mentioned by Piper in her article and the one Cait had been wearing up until Codsworth washed it, was being hung up to dry by the fire. It was a gorgeous piece of clothing, obviously made from the finest materials the Brotherhood could scrounge up. Deacon scrutinized the jacket, noting it had been repaired a bit times and given added ballistic modifications.

"Codsworth, you have to let me wear that jacket!" Deacon said, standing up. He walked over to the clothesline and felt the insignia arm of the jacket.

Wasting no time, Codsworth smacked Deacon's hand away softly with his pincer arm. "Mr. Deacon! You will not touch Ma'am's jacket while it is drying! Do you know how hard it was to get the stains out from when Miss Cait lost…well, her constitution was not well and I had to sanitize the jacket properly! Miss Nora will be expecting this jacket when she and Miss Piper return!"

"Alright, alright! Don't blow a fuse, Codsworth!" Deacon said, backing off.

Hancock, who was sitting nearby, laughed. "I told you that would happened."

Deacon watched Codsworth busy himself with the clothesline and then take the basket away. Deacon kept his eye on the coat. There was a bad idea formulating in his head. "You know, with a jacket like that, I could get some easy recon in for the Railroad. Those Brotherhood guys worship the ground Maxson walks on. Would they question it if he suddenly decided to do a surprise inspection?"

Hancock raised his barely noticeable eyebrow on Deacon. "Deacon, if they found out there was a Railroad operative parading around as Elder Maxson, they won't even bother throwing you in the brig. They would have you in front of a firing squad before you could even take off the coat."

He knew Deacon wasn't listening, but Hancock shrugged anyway. He had his adventure in the jacket was now reluctant to even look at it. The reason he came to Sanctuary was to find out what significance the jacket will hold for all of them later. The vision he had under the experimental jet high was still fresh in his mind. Hancock knew the only way he'd ever be in that jacket again was if someone slipped it over his dead body on the ground.

Hancock made his excuses and walked toward the river. Deacon, making sure Codsworth was nowhere to be found, plucked the still wet coat from the line.

Mama Murphy sat perched on a bench near a makeshift fishing pier. Codsworth was humming happily a little ways away while finishing up the last of the settlement's laundry. Mama Murphy looked up at Hancock, as if knowing he would come. She probably did. "You didn't come all this way at this time of night to talk to an old woman, Hancock." Mama Murphy said, staring out at the clear river.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, Mama Murphy. I know you were there and I know we shared…something. I have to know what it means." Hancock said, sitting down.

Mama Murphy smiled but didn't look at him. "It means what it means, son. It is a warning of things to come should we continue down this path. I've seen many things in my time. Some could be changed, some were set to unfold. It's impossible to tell which is which. That's what makes the sight dangerous. There is a man out there who is trying to make the right moves, but is blinded by his heart's desire. There is a woman who is a stranger to this world, walking around wondering if she made the right choice. In the middle, is all of you. Now, whether Boston burning is what is set or can be changed, I can't tell you. But if it's one of those things that can be changed, you might want to find out how. There is one more life this all hinges on…"

Hancock waited for Mama Murphy to finish, but she shook her head. "…who?" he asked.

Mama Murphy let out a soft sigh. "That's all I got, kid. The sight doesn't like to repeat itself. Sometimes, it's as clear as day. Sometimes, it speaks in riddles."

"It prefers riddles, it seems." Hancock murmured.

"No, I think your vision was pretty straight forward. If it is set, then all you can do is prepare for it." Mama Murphy let out a rasping chuckle. "Sit with me for a while, Hancock. I could use the company."

Hancock relaxed into the bench and stared out at the reflection of the moon on the river. He gave the old woman a slick Ghoul smile and extended his arm behind her in a friendly manner, just so the spry old woman wouldn't get any ideas. "Mama Murphy, I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather spend my time in Sanctuary with."

* * *

 **Hi, hi all!**

 **And, by request, it's Deacon's turn with the jacket! If it involves Deacon, you know it's going to end badly haha.**

 **Well, as of finishing this chapter, I'm preparing for a trip to the beach. Summer is over, but it's still pretty hot here. The summer tourist season ends at the end of August here, but the weather normally stays pretty hot until the first week of October, when it gradually starts to get colder. So, the summer season prices are gone. I wanted to finish this chapter before I left for my trip, so you guys would have something to enjoy. I'm going to be taking a short break until then, but I might get some ideas down for the next few chapters.**

 **We're going to stay around Sanctuary for another chapter or so because I have some ideas I wanted to get out of my system. Mostly short little filler chapters, then back to Nora and Piper.**

 **Unpopular** **opinion time: What's the big deal with Curie, anyway? Why does everyone love her? She's annoying and useless in battle. Ugh, whatever.**

 **Next chapter: Codsworth hadn't even noticed Deacon had snatched the jacket. He's been too preoccupied with the newest robot in the settlement. Is Codsworth even capable of having a crush?**

 **So, you guys know the drill! Tell me how I did and keep this story going! I welcome all reviews (keep it clean, please) and if you get a chance, follow me on Tumblr and deviantArt for updates on my fics or just to see what weird stuff I'm into (it's not dirty, I promise lol). You'll find links in my profile.**

 **Read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	16. Handy Hearts

_The Battle Coat_

Handy Hearts

The morning sun peeked out from behind the trees, greeting the small settlement of Sanctuary with the last of the warm weather of the fall. Cold weather was predicted and traders were selling more and more animal hide to make coats while scavengers were selling coats found in the ruins for higher prices. The settlers in Sanctuary weren't too worried for the cold weather. They had spent most of the warm season insulating the homes with whatever they could and storing meat and vegetables in the repurposed gas station ice freezer or pickling them in jars for preserves.

None of the this would have been possible without Codsworth, the Mister Handy robot was spent his days gliding around the settlement. Before the Great War, Codsworth belonged to Nate and Nora Howard. They bought him when they bought the house in Sanctuary Hills and he had been a part of their family ever since. He had been purchased right after Nate and Nora bought the house. A sort of housewarming gift to themselves. Nate once told Codsworth that he wanted to make sure Nora wasn't alone while he was away. He felt like a machine at first, but Nate and Nora soon made him feel like family.

Codsworth was grateful to the Howards to the extent he could process gratitude. Codsworth had spent his days before the bombs fell tending to the house and helping Nora with her various errands. When Shaun was born a little less than a year after Nate returned from Anchorage, his duties doubled. Codsworth didn't seem to mind. He loved his family to the extent he could process love.

This thought went through Codsworth's mechanical mind as he watched Sanctuary's newest addition from around a corner. His right eye stalk peeked out and watched "her" walk around the small warehouse Sturges built and lift boxes filled with cold weather supplies. Codsworth made a sighing sound, though it wasn't sad. It was a longing sound that a human would have made if they found love.

Ada was a robot Nora and Piper had come across not too long ago. When Ada first arrived in Sanctuary with Nora and Piper, she looked like she had been cobbled together with various robot parts. Everyone seemed to be on awe of the modified Assaultron with Protecton legs and mismatched weapon arms. Codsworth couldn't take his eye stalks off her. But when Nora finally finished the Robot Workbench with Sturges' help, she was able to give Ada a few much needed upgrades. Her new body now resembled a blue Assaultron with Protectron hands.

Watching Ada lifting things made Codsworth swoon. They were cordial with each other, as much as their programing allowed, and Codsworth enjoyed talking with Ada about robot matters. But he couldn't understand, despite his deep knowledge of many things, why his sensors went out of whack whenever he was around her.

"Codsworth, what are you doing?"

Codsworth swung his body around, nearly hitting MacCready with his blade arm. "Mr. MacCready!" Codsworth shouted. "Dreadfully sorry, ol' boy! I-I didn't see you there."

MacCready folded his arms over his chest and gave Codsworth a suspicious look. "Cods, what were you doing over there?" he asked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were spying on Sturges and Ada."

Codsworth made knitting motions with his pincher hand and his flamer hand. "N-Nonsense! I wasn't spying on them! I was…I was merely glancing in that direction! Yes, just doing my rounds. Everything is in order, so I shall be on my way!" Codsworth started floating away, but felt a tug on his flamer hand, as if it was stuck on something.

MacCready held onto Codsworth's flamer hand, despite Codsworth's thrusters being at full blast trying to escape. No one could explain why a Mister Handy's thruster flame never seemed to burn things, human or otherwise. Another mystery of the Pre-War days.

"Calm down, Codsworth." MacCready said. Codsworth relaxed and MacCready let go of his flamer arm. "I'm not accusing you of anything. It's just that you were floating in that spot and looking around that corner for about fifteen minutes. Is there something you want to talk about?"

Codsworth's eyestalks twirled around, trying to look inconspicuous. Not being able to find a proper excuse in his data banks, Codsworth finally broke down, in a metaphorical sense. "Oh, Mr. MacCready, I don't know what's wrong with me!" Codsworth shouted. "Lately, I feel like there is a virus in my programing! Every time I work around Miss Ada or if her image flashes around in my processors, I can't seem to float properly. My voice and speech modules can't seem to form the correct words or punctuation and now I find I can't perform my duties properly! Just yesterday I was clipping the hedges near Mrs. Long's melon patch and when Miss Ada walked by, I couldn't keep my eyes on my work. I nearly pruned Mrs. Long's hair off!"

Trying not to picture that, MacCready stifled a laugh. "So that's why she was chasing you with that stick yesterday. Let's see, we got stuttered speech, trouble concentrating, and butterflies in your stomach whenever a certain someone is nearby." MacCready thought about the last time he felt that way. "It's quite obvious what's happening to you, Codsworth." MacCready laughed and shook his head. "Sorry to say, there isn't much you can do about it."

Codsworth's optics widened. "Oh, no! Am I…oh dear, I know I haven't been serviced by a certified General Atomics technician in over two centuries, but I figured the tune-ups Mr. Sturges gives me from time to time would suffice. If I had known I was…I was infected I would have said something to Miss Nora before she and Miss Piper left! I can't believe it!" Codsworth sounded like he was crying. "How long do you think it'll be before my programing becomes so corrupted I'll need to be completely wiped and restarted?"

MacCready laughed loudly, getting the attention of a few nearby settlers. "Oh, Codsworth, you slay me." He laughed.

"I assure you, killing you is the last thing I want to do! I'm the one in danger of shutting down!" Codsworth whined, sinking a bit where he hovered.

"No, I mean…nevermind. Look, you're not dying or anything like that. You might need a tune-up, but that's between you and Sturges." MacCready cleared his throat. "Codsworth, I don't know how to tell you this, but everything you just described to me sounds a lot like love."

Codsworth's optics widened again. "Love? I'm in love?!" Codsworth shouted. "Do you know of preposterous that sounds, Mr. MacCready?"

MacCready smirked. "I never said _you_ were in love, Cods. I just said it sounded like love."

Codsworth sank a bit and made moaning sounds. "Oh, Mr. MacCready, what am I going to do? The only love I'm programed to feel is for my family! I don't know how to deal with love in the romantic sense of the word! Why…why is this happening to me?"

MacCready shrugged. "Love has a way of punching you in the gut when you least expect it. Well, that's how I met Lucy, anyway. I was on my way back from a job when I stopped off at a bar at some outpost outside of the Capitol Wasteland. Her caravan had stopped in for a rest and a meal. I made a pass at her and she punched me in the stomach. For such a little woman, she sure had a mean hook. She was nice enough to stay with me after I passed out. The rest is history."

"I should hope Miss Ada doesn't punch me in the stomach! I don't have one. Her new arms might destroy me." Codsworth lamented.

"That's not the point, Cods." MacCready said. "Look, there are times in life that just can't be explained away. Being in love is one of those times. It's not an anomaly in your programing like Danse would have you think, it's just what it is. The more you keep it to yourself, the more it will hurt later. There are still things I wish I told Lucy before she died, and we were married with a kid."

Codsworth made a moaning sound. "How am I going to get Miss Ada to understand these things? I barely understand them. Why would a dazzling automaton like her want anything to do with a regular old Mister Handy like me?" Codsworth sunk a bit but almost instantly perked up when Ada walked by. Her walk was more of an advancing march, but it made Codsworth swoon. "Just look at her, Mr. MacCready. Have you ever seen a more perfectly built woman in your life?"

MacCready looked at Codsworth, then to Ada, then back to Codsworth. "Well, I've certainly never seen one built like that before." He said. "Cods, have you thought of telling Ada how you feel?"

"How I feel?!" Codsworth shouted. "How can I explain something I'm not even supposed to know how to do?"

"Just tell her everything you told me. Well, leave out the part of nearly shaving Marcy's head." MacCready pushed Codsworth over toward Ada, who seemed to just be standing on the curb in front of a house.

Nora had given Ada guard duties but most of Ada's time was spent helping Sturges lift things and standing in various spots. She would stand there for a moment or two, then march off back to her guard post or to whatever errand Sturges needed help with. Codsworth processed enough courage to float over to Ada, but stopped when she turned back around.

"Ahh! H-Hello, Miss Ada!" Codsworth shouted.

"Hello, Codsworth." Ada said in her mechanical monotone voice.

Codsworth made throat clearing sound and kept a respectable distance. "Miss Ada…umm…well…"

"Is there something you require, Codsworth?" Ada asked. "It seems your voice module is malfunctioning. Perhaps you should see Sturges for a tune up."

Codsworth's eye stalks whirred around nervously. "Well, you see, Miss Ada…there is something I wish to discuss with you. Lately, when you're around, I seem to be malfunctioning." Codsworth started. MacCready, who was listening nearby, smacked his forehead in disbelief over what Codsworth just said.

Ada just looked at Codsworth. "I do apologize if I emit some kind of radiation or electronic output that disrupts your functioning." Ada started to march off. "I will see Sturges right away to correct this."

Before Codsworth could say anything else, Ada marched away. MacCready passed her and walked up to Codsworth. "What was that?!" he asked, shocked.

"I panicked!" Codsworth cried.

"Obviously. Alright, listen to everything I say and repeat it to Ada before she misinterprets something else." MacCready cleared his throat and recited what Codsworth should say.

He sent Codsworth on his way and watched from a safe distance. He watched Codsworth float up to Ada, recite everything, then exchange other pleasantries. Codsworth floated back, looking no less happy or sad than before. "Well, I told her everything you told me to say, Mr. MacCready!"

"And?" MacCready asked, eager to hear the outcome.

Codsworth made an audible sighing sound. "…she told me that I did an excellent impression of a human mating chant but tells me the dance needs work."

MacCready smacked his forehead again. "Okay, let's try again tomorrow. I'll come up with something better by then." With that, MacCready walked away.

Codsworth floated in that one spot for a little while before finally going back to his duties. Codsworth's patrol of the settlement wasn't as enjoyable as he usually found it. Everything was in order as far as Codsworth cared to inspect, and he eventually glided back to the main house to report back to Preston Garvey. It was his new routine since helping rebuild Sanctuary and he was happy to do it, usually. He made a sighing sound and floated to the doorway, but stopped just short of Marcy Long.

"Oh, pardon me, Mrs. Long!" Codsworth shouted. Marcy didn't say anything, though she did put her hands on her hair and move around Codsworth. Codsworth watched her run off and he floated into the main room, where Jun Long was sitting in a chair by the radio. "Hello, Mr. Long." Codsworth said, gliding to the center of the room.

"H-hey, Codsworth." Jun said, running his fingers through his hair. "You and MacCready have been spending a lot of time together today."

Codsworth made a nodding motion. "Yes, Mr. MacCready is giving me some sound advice on matters of the heart."

Jun looked confused, or more so than usual anyway. "Don't take this the wrong way, Codsworth; but you don't have a heart."

"I am aware of not having a physical heart muscle, Mr. Long." Codsworth sighed. "What I meant to say is that Mr. MacCready has been helping me woo Miss Ada and it seems to be going terribly."

Jun chuckled a little. "You have a crush on Ada? I guess that wouldn't be surprising." Jun looked out the window and saw his wife angrily plowing a gardening trowel in the dirt near her melon garden. "Love is a funny thing, you know? People often ask me what made me fall for Marcy. You know, she was always a little abrasive. But I don't think I can pinpoint one thing that made me fall for her. Even before what happened at Quincy, she always seemed quick to anger. As kids, she was always bossing the other children around and she didn't change much as a teenager. But when I finally got the courage to get closer to her, I saw a softer side to her. It's rare to see that side after all that's happened. I know right now she's dealing with the death of our son and the loss of our home in her own way. She doesn't like to be vulnerable. I think it comes from basically being on her own since she was a kid. Eventually, she'll heal, or at least allow herself to heal. But I'm not going to rush her. I love her, Codsworth. From the moment we met when she was bossing all the other kids around to now, watching her dig up weeds and help our new home grow, I love her. That's what love is, Codsworth. For me, at least. There is no one perfect answer. You can't define your love by anyone else's."

Codsworth looked generally impressed. Jun wasn't an imposing man. In fact, from what Sturges often told Codsworth, Jun was a shell of his former self. He fell completely apart when Kyle died and losing Quincy to the Gunners didn't help. But one couldn't deny the progress he'd made since coming to Sanctuary. Something about the little settlement seemed to bring out the better in people. Or, at the very least, the less horrible in them.

"That's inspired, Mr. Long." Codsworth said. "What are you going to do about Mrs. Long in the meantime? You can't just let her be mad forever."

Jun shook his head. "I'm going to give her space and let her cope with this on her own. I know Marcy better than anyone here. The best thing to do is leave her alone and be there for her when she needs me. One day, we'll get over this and move on. But right now, we're safe and she's with me. That's all I need right now. Don't rush things, Codsworth. Let them happen as they will."

Codsworth floated off, still unsure of what to do. He felt even more confused than before. He wasn't paying attention when he collided with something. Codsworth shook his eye stalks and looked around. To his surprise and horror, it was Ada.

"Hello again, Codsworth." Ada said.

Codsworth said nothing at first. He just let out an audible sigh and accepted his fate. "Hello, Miss Ada."

"Codsworth, my logic routines seem to assume you have something you wish to tell me. Is that true?" Ada stood there, looking at him with what could be counted as wonder in her eye.

"Miss Ada, I apologize if I offended you earlier. I seem to be at odds with myself and nothing Mr. Sturges can do will repair that." Codsworth fidgeted his pincer hand and flamethrower hand as if he was knitting something. "Miss Ada, I'm fond of you. As much as I'm programed to be fond of someone and I feel as if I've acceded my limit when I'm around you. I do hope you don't think lesser of me because of this revealing revelation, but I just had to say something before I blew a fuse."

Ada just stood there, looking as if she was processing everything. Codsworth wished she could blink, then at least he'd know she didn't freeze up during his explanation. He made a sighing sound, apologized for wasting her time, and started to float away.

"Codsworth…" Ada said, stopping the sad Mister Handy in his tracks. "…I wish I could understand what you feel for me. But I can't. I think I would be flattered and I'd return those feelings if I could. The only feelings I can comprehend right now are happiness and sadness and a few of their variants. But I do want you to know I value your friendship and that of your human, Miss Nora. I may not be able to return your feelings, but if you'll allow me, I'd like to spend time with you. Maybe, during that time, I can learn and adapt."

To the extent he could, Codsworth beamed with excitement. "Oh, Miss Ada! You don't know how happy you've made me!"

"I actually don't, as my emotional analysis software is outdated. But please continue." Ada said.

"Very happy! Would you…" Codsworth fidgeted again and made a throat clearing sound. "…would you like to accompany me to the riverside? I have to finish the laundry and I think the view and the atmosphere is quite lovely this time of year."

"Watching trees lose their foliage and flow downstream seems to be a favorite pastime for humans. Perhaps we could do that." Ada said, following Codsworth.

From his seat on the patio, Jun watched the two robots make their way toward the lake. He chuckled and got up, knowing he couldn't take too long of a break without Marcy yelling at him. Jun decided to give Codsworth a hand and take the dry laundry off the line. He picked up a basket and started plucking clothes from their clothespins. While Jun only had a few clothes himself, Codsworth insisted on regular laundry days and it gave the settlement a nice smell when the clothes dried.

The clothesline felt off when Jun neared the end. He remembered Codsworth washing that big jacket that Cait was using as a blanket. It was a huge leather jacket that made Cait look like a child trying on her father's clothes. He wasn't sure where it came from, but he knew it was important and that it actually belonged to Nora. Thinking he was mistaken, Jun looked around at the settlement. Everyone was either fixing something or coming to the patio for their break. MacCready and Preston seemed to be in a conversation with the Minutemen that brought him and Cait to Sanctuary the day before. Both men saw them off and went toward the patio.

"What's happenin', Jun?" MacCready asked as he and Preston walked up.

"I thought I'd give Codsworth a hand with the laundry seeing as he's…" Jun blushed a bit. "…he and Ada seemed to have come to some kind of understanding."

MacCready laughed. "So, Cods took my advice?" MacCready seemed pleased with himself.

Jun shook her head. "No, I think he decided to just let things happen." Jun took very little amusement in MacCready's deflated ego. Preston let out an audible chuckle. Jun looked at the basket and then back at the clothesline a few more times before setting it down. "Codsworth did a lot of laundry yesterday, but didn't he also wash that really big leather jacket? You know, the one Cait was wearing when she arrived?"

MacCready looked at the clothesline and then at the basket. "Hey, yeah! He said he had to clean and sanitize everything because Cait…well, there is no need to repeat it. I remember him shaking it out and hanging it up. It was on the line last night. Codsworth had to keep Deacon from snatching it." He recalled. MacCready then remembered something else. "Hey, where _is_ Deacon?"

Preston crossed his arms and looked around. "I don't remember seeing him when everyone went to bed. Wasn't he bunking with you in the main house on one of the spare beds?"

MacCready shrugged. "I went back to sleep after dinner. I'd ask Hancock but he's still asleep."

"How can he still be asleep? It's after lunch!" Jun asked.

"I found him asleep by the river with a Jet inhaler nearby earlier this morning." Preston said. "I didn't see the need to ask questions. I poked him just to make sure he was still breathing. When he stirred, I decided to leave him be."

The three men heard humming and saw Curie walking nearby. She had a funny walk, as if she was still getting used to having legs. She sometimes looked like she was trying to do three things at once. Curie looked up from her task when she heard them mention Deacon. "Are you looking for Monsieur Deacon?" she asked. "I saw him leaving in the middle of the night with that big coat."

Curie was known to like mostly anyone introduced to her. Deacon was the exception. She didn't like how secretive he was. She also didn't like how he shamelessly flirted with her, even when she was a robot. Now that she was a human, or Synth rather, she found it even more obnoxious. Because of this, she had no problem tattling on Deacon's mischief whenever she felt he was up to no good (which was all the time). Curie had a petty streak very few ever saw and she reserved it exclusively for Deacon.

"Did he say where he was going?" MacCready asked.

Curie shook her head. " _Non_ , he did not. But if it involves Monsieur Deacon, you know it is something questionable." Curie crossed her arms. "If he took that coat, then it might have something to do with the Railroad and the Brotherhood of Steel. Perhaps Monsieur Danse would know?"

Eagerly shaking his head, MacCready dismissed that idea. "Oh no, I'm not hoofing it all the way back to the Castle to talk to the Tin Man until he grows a heart. Deacon is a slippery guy. He knows all the ends and outs of the Commonwealth. He could be all the way in Quincy by now, as fast as he works. He's got a bad idea brewing in his head and it'll likely get him killed. What's worse is that Maxson is still looking for Nora and if he sees Deacon in that jacket, there is going to be Hell to pay."

Preston nodded. "Should we go looking for him?"

MacCready shook his head. "No." he said, without hesitation. "It's not like Deacon actually knows where Nora is. Besides, it might humble Deacon a bit to get arrested by the Brotherhood, if not provide mild entertainment for us when he comes back with the story. The worse they can do is interrogate him and take the jacket back. They won't get anything useful out of Deacon. Maybe the name of his plastic surgeon, but it's hardly a secret."

Though he was wary, Preston agreed with MacCready and went back to his rounds. MacCready looked at Jun, who had finished plucking the laundry off the line, and gave him a polite nod before leaving the patio area. Jun looked down by the waterfront and smiled at how energetic Codsworth seemed talking to Ada. At least something good came from all this, and Jun took comfort in that. Jun picked up the laundry basket when he heard Marcy shout for him. It was a shrill, ear piercing sound that made the other settlers cover their ears. To Jun, it was music.

"I-I'm coming, Marcy!" Jun shouted, carrying the basket in front of him.

* * *

"If this is some kind of joke, Deacon, I'm not laughing!" Desdemona shouted, her arms crossed. The Railroad's headquarters was dead silent, save for the whirr of Tinker Tom's computers and the soft murmurs of the agents with their guns pulled. In fact, everyone except Desdemona had their guns out and aimed at the man in the big jacket.

Deacon had strolled into their hideout, decked in the big leather jacket, and started shouting commands in the deepest, loudest voice he could muster. The acoustics of the cavernous tomb they now used as a headquarters helped exponentially. When he "commanded" his "soldiers" to open fire on every "filthy Synth loving bastard here", everyone pulled out a weapon. Desdemona was one of the few people that knew when Deacon has in disguise. Even when he did his occasional face swap, she knew it was him. It was her that kept everyone from shooting Deacon down right at the steps.

"Deacon, you must have some kind of death wish walking around here looking like Public Enemy Number Two." Glory said, putting her minigun down. Public Enemy Number One was the Institute. Number Two, and the many jokes surrounding such a designation, went exclusively to Elder Maxson and the Brotherhood of Steel. "I don't need an excuse to turn you into paste, but I sure as Hell like it when you give me one."

Desdemona put her hand up, signaling everyone to put their weapons away. "Deacon, you want to explain to me why you're wearing…that?" Desdemona looked at the jacket in confusion. She knew it was Elder Maxson's jacket. Spies brought her pictures of Elder Maxson and she, like everyone else, had read Publick Occurrences. Desdemona normally didn't put much stock in the periodical, but since meeting the budding journalist, she'd made a deal on the sly with Piper to occasionally put coded messages in the articles. Nowadays, anyone who was anyone read Publick Occurrences. Those that could read, anyway.

"I got a plan, Boss." Deacon said, taking the coat off and handing it Tinker Tom to examine. "That is the actual coat of Elder Arthur Maxon of the Brotherhood of Steel."

"We're all familiar with it." Desdemona said, not looking at all impressed. "Now, please explain why you have it."

"Our Agent Wanderer has been doing charity work again and one of her cases came rolling into Sanctuary wearing it. It's a loaner so be gentle with it." Deacon watched Tinker Tom examine the jacket meticulously.

"So, care to enlighten me with this plan so I can tell you how stupid it is?" Desdemona asked, as the others disbanded to return to their duties.

Deacon gave Desdemona is most convincing smile, though it did little for her. She always knew when he was up to something, but couldn't deny that having an in with the Brotherhood would be beneficial to their cause. Being one step ahead of their other threat was a good thing. Deacon put his arm around Desdemona's shoulder, which he knew she didn't like, and walked with her to the big round stone structure in the middle of the tomb. He had a lot to tell her, and even more to plan. "With pleasure, Boss. You see…"

* * *

 **Hi, hi! Sorry I'm late, it's been a crazy few weeks.**

 **Of all people to get their hands on the coat, it would be Deacon. The Railroad and The Brotherhood aren't on good terms. An understatement, I know. I don't have a lot to update this time around, just the usual stuff. I got to work right away after I got back from the beach, but issues kept me from working on this most of the time. I won't bore you with the details, except don't go with the cheapest option when shopping for computer chairs. My back! Ahhhhh!**

 **I might be the only person in existence that like the Automatron DLC. Yes, it was short and no it didn't add much to the game. But you get a lot of good lore and you get to design your own robots. In my Sanctuary, Ada has been put on security patrols. She looks like a blue Assaultron with laser Protection hands. Functional and good looking! Oh, and I hated the Vault-Tec DLC. Meticulous and nothing snaps right. My dwellers usually just end up in a hole with plants and furniture. Then, give them enough security so I'll never be bothered with them again and be on my way. I loved Far Harbor and Nuka World. We'll be visiting both places briefly in the future.**

 **I think people give Marcy Long a lot of guff. Granted, she's a Bitch with a capitol BITCH, but there are so many layers to her. She's grieving the loss of her son and home, which she masks with cynicism and angry outbursts. Everyone deals with grief differently and Marcy has to put on the strong front since Jun is basically a walking husk of misery. With Jun completely shut down, Marcy has had no one to lean on. She won't allow herself to grieve because someone has to be strong. But even the strongest people crumble under the weight of the world and part of me thinks Marcy sometimes goes off alone and cries when no one is around. Even as you build up Sanctuary and get the Minutemen back on their feet, Marcy is still somewhat distant, but she shows her appreciation in her own way. In my head canon, the Longs start to heal as they work on their new home and become functioning members of Sanctuary. So, I never let Marcy's insults bother me.**

 **Anyway, enjoy this nice filler while I get the next chapter ready for you. What's Deacon's plan? Will it get him killed?**

 **I won't make Codsworth and Ada a central plot in this story. It'll happen in the background whenever the main characters are in Sanctuary. I just wanted to do some filler.**

 **Next chapter: Deacon somehow got Desdemona to back his plan. However, she makes it quite clear that if Deacon gets caught, he's on his own…**

 **So, how did I do? Leave me a lovely review and keep this story going! I have a lot planned in the future and I love hearing from you guys! Also, don't forget to follow me on Tumblr and DeviantArt for updates to my fics, my other projects, or to just see what I'm into today.**

 **As always, read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


	17. Secret Agent Man

_The Battle Coat_

Secret Agent Man

"So, what can you tell me about the coat, Tom?" Desdemona asked, shifting in her seat.

The new headquarters of the Railroad was cramped, but it had to do for now. There wasn't much space to work around and most of their equipment was lost when the Switchboard fell to the Institute. Tinker Tom was able to make hard copies of everything before the evacuation, but he had to leave behind a lot of valuable tech. Tom was able to recreate most of what he had but he still felt a little naked using what he considered the bare minimum.

Tinker Tom was a wiry man in ripped workman's overalls and a strange contraption on his head. Desdemona rarely knew what he was up to in his little workshop corner but decided a long time ago not to bother asking too many questions. Most of what he built worked, and that's what mattered. Everyone knew she usually only agreed to his little experiments just to keep him occupied. Desdemona couldn't deny his genius and technically know-how, though. Anything an agent brought to him, he could take it apart and put it back together again, usually working better than it did before.

"Well, it's built solid, that's for sure." Tinker Tom said, examining the insignia sleeve with the eyepiece contraption on his hat. "Only the best for King Maxson. This isn't just some leather jacket pulled out of a ruined clothing shop, oh no. This thing was custom made for Maxson and Maxson alone. It looks like it's been repaired recently, too. Typical ballistic fiber sewn into the coat, under the lining. It should stop a bullet or two, but the beauty is in the design itself. We're talking armored reinforcement yet somehow lightweight and easy to move in. The Brotherhood is working with some top notch equipment, Dez."

Desdemona wasn't interested in how much more the Brotherhood of Steel had than the Railroad did. "Can it be recreated? Lightweight armoring could come in handy for the heavies."

Tom examined the coat again. "Maybe. I'd need more information about the process, but it's doable. I wouldn't recommend sending scouts to rob the outpost, though."

Desdemona was only half listening to Tom. She couldn't take her eyes off the insignia on the right sleeve. Seeing that symbol made Desdemona angry. The Brotherhood of Steel was a bigger threat at the moment because they were tangible. The Prydwen was hard to miss, being part of the Boston skyline now. She felt the need to rip the insignia patch off but she didn't. She wondered how vain Elder Maxson was and if she could use the jacket as a bartering tool. She waved the thought away. The jacket itself wouldn't be much of a negotiation tool without the woman who stole it. She'd never sell out another agent, even if it meant taking town the Brotherhood.

Tom examined the coat again. "Yeah, baby, this is a fine piece of work. I'd shake the designer's hand if I knew he wouldn't blow my face off." He said, feeling the fine leather exterior of the coat. "This is real leather, too! Can't tell if it's from tanned brahmin hide or pieced together from some Pre-War coats, but it's real leather."

Desdemona huffed a bit and crossed her arms. "Only the best for his majesty. I take it there are no hidden pockets overflowing with Brotherhood information?"

Tom shook his head. "All pockets are empty, Dez. Might be some hidden pockets, but I'll have to check."

Desdemona nodded and walked back to the stone circular structure in the middle of the tomb. Though taking on the Institute was their main focus, finding a way to keep the Brotherhood of Steel out of their hair was another priority. If there was a possibility of peace, Desdemona would have sought that path. She didn't like bloodshed unless it was necessary. But she saw the giant airship, and she heard the radio propaganda Elder Maxson was spewing out. One of the radios in the headquarters was playing it nonstop in case there was some kind of information. There rarely was.

" _Citizens of the Commonwealth, I am Elder Arthur Maxson. I am the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel and we come in peace. Do not interfere with Brotherhood patrols. We are here to cleanse the Commonwealth of the technological abominations from the organization known as the Institute. We will keep you safe…"_

The radio went on in that vein, mostly the same thing just reworded and occasionally interrupted with classical music and news. One time, it stopped completely with an urgent bulletin about a Synth in their ranks and again not long after, saying to be on the lookout for an AWOL Paladin wanted for questioning. That last one came about a day or two after Publick Occurrences released their exclusive, the one people were still talking about.

Desdemona was amazed that Elder Maxson went from being a feared mysterious entity to just another corrupt horn dog in less than a day. In fact, she found it hilarious. The Brotherhood soldiers some of the undercover agents came across always talked about Elder Maxson as if he was some sort of god. But with that piece of smut flying around, the people knew he was just plain ol' Artie.

Deacon, after hearing Desdemona yell his name earlier, was leaning against a stone column nearby. He was waiting for the coat. He had plans for that jacket and already had a disguise in the works. Desdemona could see Deacon wasn't going to let up on this idea. She knew his plan but wanted to hear it again to make sure she wasn't hallucinating from whatever fumes were coming from Tom's work area.

"So, tell me more about your newest suicide attempt." Desdemona said, though her tone wasn't a joking one.

"Simple, boss." Deacon started. "From what our intel gathered, the only thing being told to soldiers is to be on the lookout for Paladin Nora Howard, A.K.A., our Agent Wanderer. Their reports say she _might_ be wearing a blue Vault 111 jumpsuit with light armoring. Notice how none of the reports say anything about the jacket. Using the pictures from our spies, I disguise myself as Maxson, hit up the outposts for intel, and be back before dinner. No one will know it wasn't actually Maxson and we'll be a little richer information-wise. Like swiping Nuka-Cola from a kid."

Desdemona was hoping there was more to this plan than that. "Personally, I think the entire idea is idiotic." Desdemona sighed. "But we can't let an opportunity like this go to waste. Fine, you have my approval to go forward with this cockamamie idea. But be warned, Deacon; this is your mission. You call the shots once you leave here. If this mission fails, you're taking the fall. If you're caught, you're on your own. We can't risk the Brotherhood knowing that their Paladin Howard is an agent of ours. They're after us. We may be a low priority, but they're after us all the same. Being a priority at all is dangerous enough as unmanned and underpowered as we are without the Switchboard."

Deacon nodded. He seemed to understand. Desdemona wouldn't let any harm come to the organization if she could help it. Losing the Switchboard was hard on her, but not as hard as losing the people she considered her family. Deacon knew she lived with the guilt every day, even if it was misplaced. "Taking on the Cambridge Outpost will be out of the question, then. They answer directly to Maxson and they'll know right away that I'm not the real deal. I'll start off small, at one of their field outposts. There's one on the edge of the Glowing Sea that I know of. The radiation makes communication hard, so they might buy that they were told Maxson was coming for an inspection and they didn't get the message. They're practically using smoke signals that far out."

It was at that point, Tinker Tom looked up from the jacket. "You can look the part, but can you act it? They aren't going to buy that Maxson just decided to go for a stroll and ended up at the Glowing Sea. You have to show up in style, man!"

Desdemona's eyes widened. "And what does that mean? Hijack a Vertibird?"

Tinker Tom smiled wide. "We got the 'bird part covered. At least, until those Super Mutants come back."

"Super Mutants?" Desdemona asked.

"A Brotherhood patrol was near our back entrance a few hours ago, according to the lookouts. They ducked back inside so they wouldn't be noticed. Disguising them as Raiders was a good touch, but the Brotherhood shoots on sight. According to the lookouts, they were heading off to where Super Mutants normally congregate. Nope, they ain't coming back. At least, no in one piece. But we'll need more than Maxson's personal ride to complete the illusion. I'm talkin' about a few heavies in Brotherhood garb and laser weapons. Maxson has been known to travel with a small entourage. Probably for protection or status, maybe both. I got some Brotherhood uniforms we snatched from Cambridge and I modified those laser rifles our last supply run brought back. All we need are some volunteers and the 'bird."

Desdemona sighed. "I don't want you using any amateurs on this op. This is the Brotherhood of Steel and they hold Maxson up very highly. If things go south, I want you to have a fighting chance. You take Glory and another heavy. We can't make this an annual thing, either. The Brotherhood keeps tabs of everything. So, if you're going in, you better make it one hell of a heist."

With a sneaky grin, Deacon agreed. "Boss, we'll be swimming in intel before the week is over."

"We'll be swimming in something, that's for sure." Desdemona muttered. "Remember, once you leave here, you're on your own. Come back with intel or your tail between your legs, either way just come back."

Deacon had no intention of coming back without good intel. He stared at the jacket as Tom continued to examine it. If there was a secret to this piece of clothing, Tom would find it. He was vaguely aware of Desdemona walking away, but he didn't hear what she muttered. Deacon went to a desk and took out a box. The worn name on the top was of some Pre-War cosmetics company Deacon had never heard of and the dulled letters made it hard to properly read what it once was. The only words on the box that weren't faded was "Sampler Box". It came with a guidebook giving tips on selling door to door. When he found this box among some salvage taken from a ruined apartment complex, he knew he hit the jackpot. Most of the make-up inside had dried or decayed, but some was still usable.

"Putting on your face, Deacon?" Glory joked as she walked up. Glory was one of the heavies used on more dangerous missions. She was an escaped Synth, but she never really explained what she did in the Institute while she was there. Her combat prowess often made Deacon think she might have been a Courser, or at least training to be one before she escaped. One of the side effects of the automatic failsafe was the erasing of certain memories.

"You know I have to look good for my op." Deacon joked. The make-up case mostly consisted of costume components now. The lid of the box had a mirror and black and white photographs of various people. They were candid photos, of course. Deacon took the one of Elder Maxson and propped it up by the mirror. Glory wasn't going to ask why he had one for their intel pictures of Maxson in his box. "Dez has given me the go-ahead for this mission."

"I heard." Glory said. "I just got an earful from her. She said I'm going with you as backup. No amateurs on this op. Deacon, I've known you since I started up and I've seen you take on ops that were stupid, but taking on the Brotherhood? That's just nuts. If you want to save time, I can grab my stuff and gun you down right here."

"Nah, then you'd never hear the end of it about the clean-up." Deacon said, picking up a comb and a wig. Glory admired the effort Deacon put into his disguises. "Carrington already gets on me about my stuff invading his space. When I had to disguise myself as a junky for that Goodneighbor job a few years back, I used one of his Med-X syringes to make the costume complete. Even after the op was done and success had been declared, he scolded me for weeks about using stuff from his space. Scolded, like I was a child. He even set up a wooden divider until Dez made him take it down."

Glory chuckled. "I remember that. That piece of wood is under my mattress to make it more stable." Glory watched as Deacon lovingly prepared the essentials of the face disguise. "So, I'm guessing you got the beard and hair part down. But what about that scar?"

Deacon paused combing the wig and took a good look at that picture. Somehow, the agent with the camera got close enough to Maxson to get a photo of his face. It was taken in broad daylight, so the flashbulb wasn't necessary. The scar was there. It wasn't something Maxson could try to cover. The beard somehow helped, but it was still noticeable.

"I got that covered." Deacon said, surer than he actually was.

Glory glanced at the picture while Deacon continued getting his disguise ready. "For an overcompensating lunatic, Maxson don't look half bad. I can see how Wanderer fell for his charms."

"I don't think it was his charms." Deacon said, more seriously than usual. "Wanderer is used to military life. Her husband was a soldier. He fought in Anchorage during the Resource Wars. She probably found it comforting. Maybe the Brotherhood reminded her of the life she used to have before the world went to Hell. I think the real reason she's not still up there with Maxson is because she knows that way of life is gone and recreating it won't bring her husband back."

Glory looked impressed. "That's…strangely profound of you, Deacon." She said.

"I spent a lot of time tailing her before she joined up. One doesn't leave a Vault-Tec Vault, save the Minutemen, and rescue a Synth detective while keeping a low profile. If she knew all the things I overheard her telling Piper before she joined us, she'd kill me." Deacon stopped messing with the wig and looked at the picture of Maxson again. "For someone who pretty literally stepped out of the past, I think she's holding up better than most people do."

Glory nodded. "Alright, enough psychology. So, what's the plan? I'm guessing guns blazing isn't on the table?"

"Not unless we have to." Deacon said. "I like my ops to have more subtly and less body parts flying around. This first op is mostly a trial. I want to see how far I can go before they find me out. Hopefully, they won't. The Glowing Sea, in all its supernatural wonderment, makes communications difficult. Interference from radiation makes their high tech equipment go haywire. If they want to get any kind of communication with the Outpost or the Prydwen itself, they have to jiggle some wires and move an antenna. It's an unfair advantage for us, but I'm not one to ignore opportunity. Our mission is to get out there and get as much intel as we can before moving on to the next phase. We'll make it look like Maxson was supposed to come by for an inspection and interference made it so they didn't get the message. Provided they haven't tried using carrier pigeons yet."

"If they can find one that can fly straight with two heads." Glory said. "Alright, so what kind of intel do you hope to get from an irradiated outpost?"

"Any kind. Tom gave gave me a Network Scanner and my ultimate goal is to infiltrate the Airport and get their entire network. We're talking intel for days!" Deacon said.

"You won't get past the first guard post dressed as Maxson at the Airport." Glory said.

"That's why we're doing this op first. I want to see how gullible they are." Deacon laughed.

Glory looked skeptical. Normally, she was all for making the Brotherhood of Steel look bad. "Alright, say this needlessly complex plan of yours works. The airport is directly under Maxson. They'll know he's up there and not toadying around outside. How are you going to infiltrate the airport?"

Deacon hoped his smile was reassuring, but he could never tell with Glory. "After I run a few ops in the coat, I shed the Maxson skin and put on a regular Brotherhood outfit. Take a few of you in with me, slide that network scanner into any of the computers there, and leave before we're noticed. Doing this op first will give us a good feel of what we're working with."

"So, essentially, we're working our way in from the outside." Glory pondered that for a moment. "That…might actually work."

Deacon happily went back to his disguise. Unbeknownst to his coconspirators, Deacon had been working on a Maxson costume for a long time. He had the basic face and form and luckily was about the same height as Maxson. Unless someone looked closely, no one would be able to notice that Deacon was half an inch shorter. That was half an inch more than Deacon was willing to bet on. Deacon reached into a suitcase and pulled out a Brotherhood officer's uniform. It was black, not too worn, and perfect for this mission. It came with a pair of boots. If he put small lifts into the boots, no one would notice.

Glory felt this was a good time to ask another burning question. "Why are you doing this? Just a few weeks ago, you were bragging about your contact within the Brotherhood." Glory crossed her arms. "Don't tell me that was another installment in the Deacon Family Classics collection."

Deacon smiles and tried the wig on. He'd need to make the sides of his head look more stubbly, but it was doable with make-up. "No, that one was true." He said with some regret. "She decided to go a different route with what she needed. Last I talked to her, I recommended Nick Valentine's services to her."

Glory couldn't help but laugh. "Deacon, sometimes you are a cold son-of-a-bitch."

Though it sounded more like an affirmative grunt, Deacon also laughed a bit. "While I do see the irony, I do actually think he can help her. More than we can at the moment, anyway."

Glory decided to leave Deacon to his work. She wanted to be ready for anything on this op, so she made her way to Tom. Tom was still working on the jacket and had accumulated a small crowd. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the famous jacket. The one worn by the man whose soul was "forged from holy steel" or whatever the Brotherhood soldiers claimed. Though, most of them were there because they had read Piper's article and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Glory's presence made the small crowd scatter. When she got close to Tinker Tom, the last vulture had left. "So, that's the coat that caused all this trouble." Glory said, with a laugh. "Impressive."

Tinker Tom looked pleased, as if he had built the coat himself. "Hell, yes! We have hit the jackpot with this baby! This is top-o'-the-line craftsmanship here. I might be able to recreate this for you heavies, but it'll take some time."

Glory didn't look impressed. "Like I want to go around looking like an overcompensating jar head." She said. "Do you have any other Brotherhood suits?"

"Just finished fitting some with ballistic weave earlier today." Tinker Tom said, with pride. He went under his workbench and took out a box. "You don't find a lot of Brotherhood suits with this kind of stopping power. It was a pain to get the ballistics in there, but I did it. In case things go south, you should be covered." Tinker Tom pulled out an orange flight suit and boots. Glory wished they were in other colors, but knew for the sake of the op, she had to wear orange.

"The best gear you can raid from an old air force base, I suppose." Glory said, holding a flight suit up to look at it better. "So, we've got the gear and we've got the plan. Now, how do we mix both together and get a solid course of action out of all this?"

"Like this." said Deacon, walking up to Glory and Tom. Both looked over and saw Deacon's new face. Deacon's face was slimmer than Maxson's, but in the right light no one would notice right away. Everyone, even Desdemona, was amazed by the transformation. "It's a good thing his skin tone is easy to replicate with make-up."

It was like looking at Maxson himself standing in front of them. The fake scar being covered by a fake beard, the stubble on the side of his head, and the wig made to look like whatever Maxson's hairstyle was supposed to be. Tom dug into the box of salvaged Brotherhood gear and took out a black officer's suit. Glory glared at her suit and then at Deacon when Tom passed it to him. Deacon also took the coat and walked off. When he came back, decked in his brand new Elder Maxson disguise, everyone looked starstruck.

Except for the sunglasses, which Deacon almost never took off, He looked almost exactly like Maxson.

"That…is insane…" Glory said, still holding her suit.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Tom shouted, nearly doing a jig of excitement.

After Glory and another heavy washed up and got into their disguises, Desdemona escorted them to the back entrance. "According to our lookouts, they haven't returned for their ride yet. I'm guessing either Super Mutants or raiders got them. Both are known to scout the area. Tom knows how to fly a vertibird, or at least claims he does, so I'm sending him along with you for support. He's not much in a fight, but he can hold his own. Make sure the site is secure and I'll send Tom when you give the all-clear. We're risking a lot for this mission, Deacon. If you come back with something or not, just come back. I can't risk losing you guys. You know our frequency. Contact us when you can. Be careful."

Desdemona stayed in her spot in the broken building while Deacon, Glory, and the extra heavy walked off to find the abandoned vertibird. Deacon tugged at the jacket every now and then. He had to put some padding in the outfit to make it fit and to give him the right build. He usually took great pride in his ability to look like just about anyone but taking one final look in his mirror before leaving the hideout made him a little queasy. Deacon stayed back when Glory and the heavy went to look at the vertibird. There was no one around that they could see. Glory lit her flare and waved it, signaling to Desdemona and Tinker Tom that the area was clear.

Tinker Tom, decked in his own disguise, looked over the vertibird and started getting everything ready for takeoff. "After you, 'Elder'." Glory said with a smirk, letting Deacon get in first. The vertibird shakily left the ground as Tom attempted to figure out what each control did. After arguing with Glory that he did indeed know how to fly this thing and that the manual he scavenged from an old military check point was very specific about what to do, and after Glory threatened to dump him out while they were still in the air, Tom made sure the ride became much smoother.

Though he didn't show it, for the first time in his career with the Railroad, Deacon was unsure about a mission. He had done many crazy things in the past just to get information, but now they were about to head right into the proverbial Deathclaw's den. He knew impersonating Maxson was a big deal, and he knew they would shoot him on sight if they found out he was an imposter. But he had to give the Railroad a new advantage. While he can't say the coat fell into his lap, the opportunity did. If this op went as well as he hoped it would, the Railroad would finally have a fighting chance as a major power in the Commonwealth. Deacon owed his life to Desdemona and the Railroad. They were his family, now. He would do anything to protect his family and the cause they fought for.

"How long until we get to the Edge of the Glowing Sea?" Glory asked, shouting over the loud noise of the vertibird blades.

"About two hours." Tom shouted, making sure he was reading the systems right.

Two or so hours to make sure he had the right mindset for this op. Deacon nodded to no one in particular. Deacon pulled the jacket closer. He hoped no one could see how uncertain he looked.

* * *

 **Hi, hi everyone!**

 **Oh, Deacon. This won't end well, will it? We'll find out the "shocking" conclusion to this insanity in a few chapters.**

 **So, it's been a hot minute for this story, huh? Well, I kind of fell into other projects while working on this one. If you haven't already, go check out my other Fallout fic in the Fallout 3 section. It's called "Sickness" and it's about The Pitt.**

 **I wish I could give you guys a proper update schedule, but it's still up in the air. I got a lot going on this summer, but I'll try to keep some kind update schedule going. It will be sporadic, and it will be between one or two other projects I got going on, but it will happen. I'm hoping to get one of my hiatus projects out of the bin, but no promises there. I also hope to finish "Sickness" before the summer is over, as it's shorter and I already have most of what I want down on paper (or Microsoft Word, whatever).**

 **Next Chapter: Nick and Haylen have been hard at work investigating the Danse Conspiracy and Maxson's off the book activities involving Nora's whereabouts, but Nick can't fight Old Nick's memories of another time…and another woman that Haylen resembles.**

 **If you guys like what I do here, please leave a review and don't forget to subscribe to the watch and favorites. Also, I have a Tumblr and a Twitter, which you can find links to both in my profile. Don't forget to follow me for updates to my fics, my mad ramblings, or just general things I find interesting.**

 **So, with that being said; read, review, and be merry!**

 **Fallout belongs to Bethesda.**


End file.
